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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25815172">Wands and Walkers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nugget_Boi/pseuds/Nugget_Boi'>Nugget_Boi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Walking Dead (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abused Harry Potter, Adult Harry Potter, Andrea Bashing, Blood and Gore, Bottom Harry Potter, Character Death, Child Death, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Death, Lori Grimes Bashing, M/M, Mpreg, Not Epilogue Compliant, Sarcasm, Sass, Sassy Harry, Sophia Peletier Lives, Top Shane Walsh, Traumatized Harry Potter, Zombies, i did it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:15:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>50,046</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25815172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nugget_Boi/pseuds/Nugget_Boi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is tired of the wizarding world, of the manipulations and all the expectations he'll never meet. Deciding to come to Atlanta, Georgia of all places to relax and take a vacation. Turns out this was not the best time to visit seeing as a zombie apocalypse has descended onto the world.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Shane Walsh, I'm not really sorry lol, sorry for those who wanted harry and daryl, they will have an epic bromance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>218</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>530</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Harry Potter Crossovers</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1- Fucking Atlanta, Georgia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have officially renamed this book, hope you all like the new name, because I do.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1- Fucking Atlanta, Georgia</p><p> </p><p>Harry’s PoV</p><p> </p><p>I had fulfilled my duty, my prophecy, there was no thanks. Only more things for everyone to force upon me, I declined, pushed them away. My friends seemed to have their expectations as well. </p><p>Ron wanting me to be with Ginny, to get married and have kids, his mom wanted that as well. He also wanted me to be an Auror. It was never going to happen, I spent my entire childhood fighting a dark lord, I was done. </p><p>Even in death, Dumbledore tried to force my hand in things, I refused them all. The British wizarding world as a whole seemed to want me to continue being a golden boy. Marry a girl, have children, be an Auror, agree with their politics but only the mainstream ideas, etc. </p><p>I didn’t want any of that, so I went back to school to finish out took my NEWT’s and then decided to continue my education after as well. I was so ignorant to my own world, I got into runes, and learned more about potions, and healing magic, wards as well. There was so much we didn’t learn in Hogwart’s, expected to choose important life classes as 14-year-olds wasn’t the smartest idea they came up with. I ended up getting mastery’s in healing, wards, and runes; potions didn’t seem like it would ever be my strong suit.</p><p>There was one person who liked this new me, the real me. Hermionie even if she was a little bit of a control freak. She loved that I wanted to learn, that I went out of my way for it. She and Ron got married, had kids but we never brought him up. Stepped away from the sensitive topics for both our sakes. Mainly talked about all the new stuff we learned recently and such.</p><p>Then I made a discovery about myself I suspected for a long time. I’m gay, let’s just say the world was not happy. My name was and still is dragged through the daily prophet every day. Deciding enough was enough I quit my job as a house warder and decided to go on a vacation. Where? Atlanta, Georgia. Why? Who the fuck would guess I, the boy-who-lived would go to fucking Atlanta Georgia?</p><p>That was a big mistake, seeing as the world decided to go to shit. Zombies, who knew that could fucking happen?</p><p> </p><p>“Shit, shit, shit!” I whisper shout to myself, looking out the window of my high rise apartment I was renting during my stay here. </p><p>The world outside was in chaos, giving me flashbacks of the war with Voldemort. People screaming, cars crashing, and then the dead got up and starting munching on other people. I knew I had to get out of the city pronto, but I also was going to need supplies.</p><p>I’d only been here a week, still packed up I shrunk my shit and put it all my backpack. All those years of fighting at least gave me the ability to think on my feet, I feel sorry for those who don’t know how to live like a survivor, how to think of the things that will save your life. </p><p>I descend through my apartment stairs, hearing the locking of doors, some people running through their apartments, to hide and wait for help, or the latter group of people probably freaking out and gathering their stuff to leave. When I make it out on to the streets, it all seems more like a battleground. I don’t stop running though, making my way to the bigger chain stores I had been to since my arrival. It was big enough that it would have food, camping supplies, weapons, and medicine all in one. There were other people in it, some dead, other’s not who were freaking out or raiding non-essentials like electronics and such. I grab non-perishables loading them into one of the bags I grabbed on my way through the store. Looking over my shoulders before shrinking it and moving on to the other shit I needed to grab.</p><p>I finish up running out, getting grabbed by somebody, hearing the groaning I know it’s one of the dead, it was inhuman. Ripping my hand out of their grip before it could start attacking me further, continuing to run dodging the dead, that has somehow risen. Sure we have inferi but they are nothing like this. </p><p> </p><p>Finally, making it out of the hellscape that is Atlanta. Deciding to stop on the high way where it seemed most people had abounded their cars, it was officially night as well so most people probably went to find shelter and get away from the undead. Stopping by a truck that had it’s windows down I open the door, looking through the glove compartment looking for a map. </p><p>“Fuck yeah,” I whisper to myself when I pull one out, looking through it.</p><p>My eyes stop on a quarry that’s shown on it, “Good a plan as any,” I say to my self and start walking, keeping an eye out for any undead that might sneak up on me.</p><p> </p><p>It takes me a couple of days to head down there, getting lost a few times but eventually finding it. Smiling as I look down at the quarry’s clean water. It was serene, no dead to be seen out here, hopefully, there wouldn’t be for a while.</p><p>“Who the fuck are you?” A man with a deep voice yells I turn my head to see two men standing side by side. One with a crossbow, the other with a knife who was all the one I suspect spoke first. He looked older than the other man.</p><p>“My names Harry, what’s you’re name?” I ask, in a more polite way then he had addressed me. They both looked like they were meant to be in the forest, very rugged, scruffy, and admittedly the man holding the crossbow was quite dashing.</p><p>“I’m Merle,” The older one says, then points to the younger man, “He’s my brother Daryl.”</p><p>“Well, it’s nice to meet you two, hope I’m not intruding. Saw this place on a map I found and decided it might be worth checking out, maybe make a camp at. I have supplies I’m willing to share,” I respond, I’d have to come up with an explanation of all the supplies I have in my backpack.</p><p>Merle grunts, “You can set up camp at ours,” Daryl nods along, I smile thanking them, Merle calls me a slew of names for it while Daryl takes to being silent.</p><p> </p><p>I set up my tent, I got while I was still in the city. It was the most expensive one that would fit 2 people max, at least if I didn’t make it into a magical tent. Which didn’t plan on at the minute, next I got out an inflatable sleeping pad and sleeping bag. It may be early may but I would be grateful for it when winter hit if we didn’t decide to move from the area. I set up the rest of the tent, lantern, my bags, taking out a little of the supplies that seemed reasonable to have had in my bag. I could say I left stuff in a car or closer to the road that was near here, or I could go and pretend to get more supplies in the city. Without knowing the state of the Wizarding world during this the statue of secrecy still had to be held. </p><p>“Hey, here’s what I got on me, I couldn’t carry all that I got to the Quarry. Stashed it in a car for safekeeping, I’ll go grab it tomorrow,” I tell them as I carry my stuff out of my tent. Closing it behind me before they could get a look inside. I’ll glamour it when they both go to sleep.</p><p>“How’d you get it all? Why you go for supplies instead of expensive shit?” Merle asks, a glare settled on his face, not really with anger directed towards me, and more curious than anything.</p><p>“I’m not stupid to start with,” I say with a laugh, Merle snorts, Daryl keeps cooking what looks like a squirrel, “Also it’s not the first time I’ve had to think of surviving, everything went to shit so fast. With the dead coming back to life I didn’t think this would be over quickly. Had to get out of the city, away from people and that equals camping and the need for food, medicine, weapons. Never go into a dangerous situation underprepared, had to learn that one the hard way.”</p><p>They both nod, “Good thing for that then, now what are you? British? Scottish?”</p><p>It was my turn to laugh, “British, went to a boarding school in Scotland though. My accent is a little messed up because of it. I decided a week or so ago to vacation here, hadn’t even unpacked my bags when everything went to shit.”</p><p>Merle grunts, “Well Brit, hella time to choose,”</p><p>I nod, “Yeah.”</p><p>“Food,” Daryl finally speaks. His voice is deep and gravely like his brother’s but different at the same time, I liked it.</p><p>“Thank you,” I say.</p><p>Daryl grunts, handing his brother food, grabbing his own, then some for me. Eating in mostly silence, that I was used to at this point we all headed to bed. And for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel the pressure to be anything but myself. Even if it would be a chore to not mention the magic, but it didn’t make me, me.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope everyone likes this new book, going to start the second chapter soon. There's not much in the ways of this ship so I'm excited to write another for it. If you have any comments or suggestions, I appreciate them all!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Can Adults Really Be This Stupid?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Based on Season 1 Episode 2, there are lots of direct quotes just for canon accuracy. It will diverge more in the next coming chapters, but I need the base to work from. Hope you all enjoy it!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Around a week or two in, more and more people came to the quarry. There were Andrea and Amy. Then Carol, her asshole husband Ed and their daughter Sophia. Shane, who was a sheriff before all of this, Lori, who thought she was the queen of fucking England, and her son Carl who was actually a really sweet kid. Jacqui and T-dog, there was also Glenn who is pretty awesome. Of course, there was Jim and then Dale as well, he had his own RV which was pretty cool, I had never really seen one before. Morales and his family showed up as well, I don’t think they’re going to stick around very long at all. </p><p>Merle, Daryl, and me went hunting most every day to bring back food, though if I didn’t go I went into the city to gather supplies. When Glenn showed up he would come with, he knew the area pretty well, so it helped a lot. The rest of the camp didn’t do much of anything, sometimes we’d bring the other men and Andrea with us as well but in my opinion, a bigger group caused more problems when the goal was to be in and out quickly. The only good part is more hands to carry more supplies back. </p><p>I grew closer to Daryl, he started to actually talk to me more in general after seeing I wasn’t going to ditch him for everyone else. Honestly I preferred Daryl's company, though Glenn and Carol and of course the kids weren’t too bad. The only issues I had were Merle and his blatant racism, and violent nature. I could stand Merle just for Daryl’s sake but on his own he was too much, and once again I can’t stand racist assholes. </p><p>Everyone seemed to judge them both and me solely on how Merle acted, just the association alone with the two seemed to be horrible in their eyes. They didn’t seem to mind though, preferring to stick to themselves, though I could include myself in that by now. I didn’t like most people at the camp, only about half of them I liked or could stand. I didn’t often go into their main area unless it was to bring food over or to leave for supply runs.</p><p> </p><p>“Harry!” I hear Glenn yell from outside my tent, I groan slightly. Another trip out into the city then. I get up and out of my tent.</p><p>“Yeah?” I say, fixing my clothes from laying down.</p><p>“I’m going to go on a supply run you coming?”</p><p>“Sure, who else is coming?” I ask grabbing my backpack</p><p>“Merle, T-dog, Jacqui, Morales, and Andrea” He says.</p><p>“Really? You think that’s a good idea? Fucking bringing Merle with T-dog, really?” Sometimes I question the IQ level of these people, actually I constantly do.</p><p>Glenn just rubs his neck and shrugs, “Well you’re there too, so peacekeeper time?”</p><p>I shake my head at him and laugh, “If this goes wrong it’s not my fault, I’m going to go say goodbye to Daryl.” </p><p>I walk away from him and head over to Daryl’s tent, “You up?” I hear a grunt and the tent unzips.</p><p>“Me and Merle are going on a supply run today with some others, just came to say goodbye.”</p><p>He nods, “Don’t get eaten by geeks.”</p><p>“Got it,” I say with a laugh, “I’ll do my best!”</p><p>I walk off after that heading up where everyone meets before we leave for the runs. Seeing everyone getting up and ready to do whatever it is they do, everyone including Merle was already up waiting.</p><p>“Everyone got a bag?” I ask, receiving nods. </p><p> </p><p>“You son of a bitch! We ought to kill you!” Andrea yells at the man Glenn brought into the store we were all in. Honestly I don’t know why she’s allowed a gun, she doesn’t even have the safety off. </p><p>“Just chill out, Andrea. Back off,” Morales jumps in, I mean at least he’s being reasonable.</p><p>“Ease up? You're kidding me, right? We're dead because of this stupid asshole.”</p><p>“Andrea, I said back the hell off,” he continues, and then waits before saying, “Well, pull the trigger.”</p><p>She finally drops the gun out of his face, “We’re dead, all of us, because of you.”</p><p>I don’t know why she thinks that, we just have to be a bit more creative on our exit this time. She should really see a therapist about how she catastrophizes situations like this.</p><p>“I don’t understand,” the man says.</p><p>I look at him from where I’m perched up on the desk, sitting calmly unlike everyone else. </p><p>“Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies. You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving! You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it's the O.K. Corral,” Morales start’s speaking, grabbing Rick and starts walking to the front of the store. I follow behind with everybody else, slightly annoyed I have to get up.</p><p>“Every geek for miles around heard you popping off rounds,” T-Dog says</p><p>“You just rang the dinner bell,” Andrea adds her two cents.</p><p>“Get the picture now?”</p><p>“You all are freaking out over nothing,” I mutter, crossing my arms, getting glares from others. Walker’s choice then to start groaning and pawing at the glass of the store front. </p><p>“Oh God. What the hell were you doing out there anyway?” Andrea asks.</p><p>“Trying to flag the helicopter.”</p><p>“Helicopter? Man, that's crap. Ain't no damn helicopter,” T-Dog butts in.</p><p>“You were chasing a hallucination, imagining things. It happens,” Jacqui adds.</p><p>“I saw it,” Rick refutes. </p><p>“Hey, T-Dog, try that C.B. Can you contact the others?” Morales asks. </p><p>“Others? The refugee center?” The confused officer asks.</p><p>“Yeah, the refugee center. They've got biscuits waiting at the oven for us,” Jacqui answers sarcastically, I snort at that. </p><p>T-Dog tries to contact the others using the C.B. having no luck. I really hope I’m not interfering with the connection again, though I shouldn’t be haven’t used any magic near the thing. Honestly technology was so useful but magic just interferes too much.</p><p>“Got no signal. Maybe the roof.”</p><p>Gun shot’s start firing off on the roof above, fucking Merle.</p><p>“Oh no. Is that Dixon?” Andrea says. I shake my head and pinch the bridge of my nose. He's the only one we left up there unless someone teleported. It's probably him.  </p><p>“What is that maniac doing?” Morales says.</p><p>“What the hell is he thinking indeed,” I say along with him, he should know better than this.</p><p>“Come on, let's go,” Glenn says. We all ran up to the roof.</p><p> </p><p>We all see Merle on the roof shooting several different geeks on the streets below with his sniper rifle, killing them as he does. </p><p>“What the hell Merle?!” I yell pushing in front of the rest of the group.</p><p>“Hey! Dixon are you crazy?!” T-dog joins, I look over at him as if he’s crazy. </p><p>Merle laughs at us both, “Hey! Y’all be more polite to a man with a gun! Huh? Ah! Only common sense.”</p><p>“Man you’re wasting bullet’s we ain’t even got!” T-Dog continues. I can already tell this isn’t going to be pretty.</p><p>Merle continues laughing, bloody hell this really isn’t going to be good.</p><p>“And you're bringing even more of them down on our ass! Man, just chill,” T-Dog says to Merle, they both start to move closer together.</p><p>“Hey! Bad enough I've got this taco-bender on my ass all day. Now I'm gonna take orders from you? I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day.”</p><p>‘Seriously Merle?’ I think to myself.</p><p>"That'll be the day"? You got something you want to tell me?”</p><p>“Hey, T-Dog man, just leave it,” Morales tries to diffuse the situation and fails.</p><p>“No.” </p><p>“All right? It ain't worth it. Now Merle, just relax, okay? We've got enough trouble.”</p><p>“You want to know the day?” Merles keeps talking.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“I'll tell you the day, Mr. "Yo." It's the day I take orders from a n****r.”</p><p>“Mother…” </p><p>Merle and T-Dog start to fight, well more like Merle starts beating the shite out of T-Dog before pulling out his pistol.</p><p>“Merle! Get the bloody hell off of him!” I yell everyone else holding the same sentiment, yelling for Merle to stop, though they call him Dixon. </p><p>Merle stands up, “Yeah! All right! We're gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh? Talk about who's in charge. I vote me. Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time, y'all. Show of hands, huh? All in favor? Huh? Come on. Let's see 'em. Oh, come on. All in favor? Yeah. That's good. Now that means I'm the boss, right? Yeah. Anybody else? Hmm? Anybody?”</p><p>Rick hits Merle over the head with a pipe, and then handcuffs him to another one, “Yeah.”</p><p>“Okay Mr. Sheriff dude-” Merle cuts me off. </p><p>“Who the hell are you, man?!”</p><p>“Officer friendly. Look here, Merle. Things are different now. There are no n****rs anymore. No dumb-as-shit, inbred white-trash fools either. Only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart.” </p><p>“Screw you, man.” </p><p>“I can see you make a habit of missing the point.” </p><p>“Yeah? Well, screw you twice.”</p><p>“Ought to be polite to a man with a gun,” Rick cocks his gun, “Only common sense”</p><p>That one was slick. I'll give Officer friendly that one. </p><p>“You wouldn't. You're a cop.” </p><p>“All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and son. Anybody that gets in the way of that is gonna lose. I'll give you a moment to think about that. Got some on your nose there.”</p><p>“What are you gonna do? Arrest me?”</p><p>Dixon laughs, while Rick takes the little bag that had some type of drug in it. I’ve never been well versed in street drugs.</p><p>“Hey! What are you doing? Man, that was my stuff! Hey! If I get loose, you'd better pray… Yeah, you hear me, you pig?! You hear me?!”</p><p>“Yeah, your voice carries.”</p><p>“Do you hear me, you filthy pig?!”</p><p>“You're not Atlanta P.D. Where you from?” Morales joins the chat </p><p>“Up the road a ways.” </p><p>“Well, officer friendly from up the road a ways, welcome to the big city.”</p><p>“Some welcome,” I add with a snort, “Now can we get am actual name officer?” </p><p>“Sorry all caught up in the moment, my name's Rick.”</p><p>“Harry, you’ve probably put together most everyone’s names by now. Like T-Dog, the one who just got beat by Merle, the resident racist. Then Morales and Glenn, the two ladies are Jacqui and Andrea respectively” I say pointing them out.</p><p>T-Dog is helped up by the two of them and get started on trying to get a signal on the radio. Everyone else just standing on the roof looking over the edge at the walkers.</p><p>“My God, it’s like Times Square down there,” Andrea says the fear evident in her voice.</p><p>“Reminds me of the tube in Britain, no room to bloody walk, always bumping into one another. Now it’s just the bloody undead,” I add, she looks at me weird, “Kinda like a, um… train or subway?” </p><p>“Ah,” She nods.</p><p>“How’s that signal?” Morales asks T-Dog</p><p>“Like Merle’s brain… week,” He answers</p><p>“Keep trying.”</p><p>“Why? There's nothing they can do. Not a damn thing,” Andrea adds her negative two cents. </p><p>“Got some people outside the city is all. There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream.”</p><p>“Then she's right. We're on our own. It's up to us to find a way out.” Rick says.</p><p>“Good luck with that. These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what I hear. Ain't that right, sugar tits? Hey, honeybunch, what say you get me out of these cuffs, we go off somewhere and bump some uglies? Gonna die anyway,” Merle makes his horrible attempt of flirting.</p><p>“I'd rather not,” Andrea replies.</p><p>“Rug muncher. I figured as much.”</p><p>“Merle, I’m really not sorry to say this but honestly you’re ugly as fuck, and a complete arsehole,” I say snidley to him, he glares back.</p><p>“The streets ain't safe. Now there's an understatement,” Morales says to Rick.</p><p>“What about under the streets? The sewers?” Rick asks.</p><p>“Oh man. Hey, Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?” Morales asks Glenn.</p><p>I groan, if only I could just apparate everyone back to camp. Glenn checks the street where, only seeing the area only had a few walkers, no manhole cover in sight.</p><p>“No, must be all out on the street where the geeks are,” Glenn sighs.</p><p>“Maybe not. Old building like this built in the ‘20s.... Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down in the subbasements,” Jacqui speaks out.</p><p>“How do you know that?” Glenn asks her.</p><p>“It’s my job… was. I worked in the city zoning office.” </p><p>“Well you may of just saved our lives with that,” I say with a clap, “This is why we need to ask people shit, what people did before can save lives.” </p><p>“Yeah,” Rick agrees with me, Glenn nodding with him.</p><p>I smile, I was right there’s a few good apples in the group. Glenn, Rick, Jacqui, Andrea, and me head down to the basement of the building. Leaving T-Dog with the handcuffed Merle, mainly seeing as he was working with the C.B. and Merle couldn’t cause anymore harm. I swear if it wasn’t for Daryl I would give Merle a peace of my mind, maybe beat some sense into the man.</p><p>“This is it? Are you sure?” Morales asks to make sure, I assume, even if it is pretty obvious.</p><p>“I really scoped this place out the other times I was here. It's the only thing in the building that goes down. But I've never gone down it. Who'd want to, right?” Glenn says, looking at everyone, who just stare back. I chuckle.</p><p>“I’m not walking in shit,” I say, “Never happening.”</p><p>Everybody look at him. </p><p>“Oh. Great.” Glenn says, the annoyed tone obvious in his voice making me laugh more.</p><p>“We'll be right behind you,” Andrea goes the comforting route, or maybe the ‘I need to prove myself’ route, you never know with this one.</p><p>“No, you won't. Not you,” Glenn shakes his head.</p><p>“Why not me? Think I can't?” Andrea accuses him.</p><p>“I don’t think-” I try to defend him.</p><p>“I wasn't-” Glenn says at the same time.</p><p>“Speak your mind,” Rick cuts us both off, probably for the better.</p><p>“Look, until now I always came here by myself… In and out, grab a few things… No problem. The first time I bring a group… Everything goes to hell. No offense. If you want me to go down this gnarly hole, fine… But only if we do it my way. It's tight down there. If I run into something and have to get out quick, I don't want you all jammed up behind me getting me killed. I'll take one person… Not you either. You've got Merle's gun and I've seen you shoot. I'd feel better if you were out in that store watching those doors, covering our ass. And you've got the only other gun, so you should go with him. You be my wingman. Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us, get us back up here in a hurry,” Glenn stumbles over his words, never being the most articulate in high stress situations. Which I use to be able to relate too.</p><p>“Okay, since I’m the fucking liver I’ll stay as well,” I say, noticing he didn’t mention me once in his rant, rude.</p><p>“I-”</p><p>“Kidding dude,” I say laughing.</p><p>“Okay,” Jacqui agrees, trying to hide her the laugh that threatened to get out over Glenn's awkward self.</p><p>“Okay, everybody knows their jobs,” Mr. I’m-gonna-be-the-leader announces. </p><p> </p><p>Glenn heads down the ladder, Morales following. The rest of us head back up to the store’s main floor. Walkers banging and growling at the glass, I look at them all stunned at the shear number. Remembering when I was first in the city when there wasn’t even half as many.</p><p>I walk around the store, taking the stuff I like hoping Mr. Officer-Friendly doesn’t notice. Watching him out the side of my eye as he walks over to Andrea.</p><p>“Sorry for the gun in your face,” Andrea says to him.</p><p>“People do things when they’re afraid,” Rick replies.</p><p>“Tch… excuses,” I mumble to myself, going unheard.</p><p>“Not that is was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this.”</p><p>“If I get us out, would that make up for it?” Rick asks</p><p>“No,but it’d be a start.”</p><p>“It’d be good enough for me, eye for an type of deal,” I say to Rick with a smile, shoving a shirt in my backpack that I liked. He nods and his eyebrows raise slightly at what I’m doing, in humor I think so I just put a finger up to my mouth and wink.</p><p>“Next time though, take the safety off. It won’t shoot otherwise,” Rick says, I laugh, thank you Mr. Rick I’ve been wanting someone to say something all day.</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p>“Is that your gun?”</p><p>“I don’t know who the bloody hell would let her buy a gun,” I say, Andrea glares at me.</p><p>“It was a gift. Why?” She asks Rick, choosing to ignore me. She learned a couple weeks ago I win word battles.</p><p>“Little red dot means it’s ready to fire,” Rick says and shows her, before handing the gun back., “You may have occasion to use it.”</p><p>“Good to know,” She says. </p><p>We all go back to just standing around, looking through the shop. I walk over to Andrea, who looks to have cut her eye on a necklace.</p><p>“The world has ended, just take it. No one is going to miss it,” I say to her.</p><p>“My sister, she’s still such a kid in some ways, unicorns, dragons… She’s into all that stuff. But mermaids… they rule. She loves mermaids,” She says as Rick walks over as well.</p><p>“Why not take it?” He asks as well.</p><p>“There’s a cop staring at me,” She says.</p><p>I’m just about ready to bash my head on the bloody counter, hopefully the glass shards can kill me quicker too. Rick laughs.</p><p>“Would it be considered looting?” She asks him.</p><p>“I don’t think those rules apply anymore. Do you?” He asks her, I’m already shaking my head. </p><p>The glass to the store shatters, walkers start coming already. We all back away and start to move towards the stares. Rick already pointing his gun at the walkers, I do the same. Glenn and Morales decide then to join us. </p><p>“What did you find down there?” Rick asks them.</p><p>“Not a way out,” Morales answers.</p><p>I snort, “Waded through shit for nothing then huh?”</p><p>“We need to find a way… and soon.” Andrea says, I just stare at her.</p><p>“No shit sherlock,” I say as we all head up to the roof. </p><p>Rick looks out off the roof, I stand beside him as he points to a construction site that was fairly close with a truck.</p><p>“That construction site, those trucks… They always keep keys on hand,” Rick says.</p><p>“You’ll never make it past the walkers,” Morales says.</p><p>“Debby fucking downer much?” I say, crossing my arms.</p><p>“You got me out of that tank,” Rick says to him</p><p>“Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted,” Glenns butts in, with fair points.</p><p>“Can we distract them again?” Rick asks.</p><p>“Right. Listen to him. He’s onto something. A diversion, like on ‘Hogan’s Heroes’,” Merle coughs from where he’s handcuffed to the roof.</p><p>“God give it a rest,” Jacqui says, annoyed at him.</p><p> “Shut it Merle, even if I don’t know what that is you probably are being mean,” I add.</p><p>“They’re drawn by sound, right?” Rick asks, I nod.</p><p>“Right, like dogs. They hear a sound, they come,” Glenns says, optimistically.</p><p>“I knew there was a reason I liked you,” I say to him, he smiles back, I don’t often give compliments so it must have been nice to hear.</p><p>“What else?” Rick asks.</p><p>“Aside from they hear you? They see you, smell you and if they catch you, they eat you,” Morales says.</p><p>“Thank you Morales for the image of that,” I shudder.</p><p>“They can tell us by smell?” Rick asks, shocked.</p><p>“Can’t you?” Glenn snorts.</p><p>“They smell dead, we don’t. It’s pretty distinct,” Andrea says.</p><p>“First smart thing you’ve said today Andrea,” I say to her, gaining another glare. Maybe I should do a shot everytime I can get someone to glare at me… nevermind I’d end up with alcohol poisoning. </p><p>We head down to the store again, Rick grabbing outfits to cover out clothes, gloves for our hands, ponchos, ect. Giving them out to us.</p><p>“If bad ideas were an Olympic event, this would take the gold,” Glenn says.</p><p>“He’s right. Just stop, okay? Take some time to think this through,” Morales agrees with Glenn.</p><p>“I’d rather not die thank you very much so I’ll keep following Mr. Leader here,” I say, putting on the things he gave me.</p><p>“How much time? They already got through one set of doors, that glass won’t hold forever,” Rick says aspirated.</p><p>We head outside, dragging one of the geeks that was killed earlier by them into the store, I watch Rick grab a fire axe, the rest of the group finally putting on the trench coats to protect their ‘nice’ clothes from the guts. Wish I had that option when I fought Voldemort, my clothes were ruined after that. </p><p>Rick looks like he’s about to swing the axe and gut the zombie before he squats down to search the geek, pulling out a wallet.</p><p>“Wayne Dunlap. Georgia license. Born in 1979. He had 28 dollars in his pocket when he died… and a picture of a pretty girl. ‘With love, from Rachel.’ He used to be like us… Worrying about bills or the rent or the Super Bowl. If I ever find my family, I’m gonna tell them about Wayne,” Rick goes on, I nod my head. Even if the dude seems a bit suicidal, like kamikaze bomber type, he’s a good dude.</p><p>“One more thing… He was an organ donor,” Glenn adds.</p><p>“What’s the Super Bowl?” I ask confused, I get looks of disbelief while everyone is silent.</p><p>Rick starts to gut the walker after the silence has gone on long enough. Everyone starts to gag, it smelled bad but I’ve smelt worse. </p><p>“Madre de Dios!” Morales yells.</p><p>“Oh…” Andrea says, a look of disgust on her face.</p><p>“Dios!” Morales yells again.</p><p>“Keep chopping,” Rick says, handing the axe to Morales.</p><p>Glenn groans, “I am so gonna hurl.”</p><p>“Later,” Rick says.</p><p>“Babies, this isn’t that bad. I’ve seen and smelt worse,” I say.</p><p>“Everybody got gloves? Don’t get any on your skin or in your eyes,” Rick says ignoring me. I put on the gloves he gave me.</p><p>“Let’s get these guts on guys!” I say excitedly trying not to let it affect me.</p><p>Andrea, Jacqui and Morales start applying guts on Rick, Glenn, and me. </p><p>“Oh God! Oh jeez. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad,” Glenn says looking like he’s about to hurl.</p><p>“Think about something else.. Puppies and kitten,” Rick says </p><p>“Dead puppies and kittens,” T-dog pipes in. </p><p>Glenn hurls after that, I scrunch my face.</p><p>“There’s something wrong with you, did Merle hit you too hard in the head up there?” I say, my stomach getting a bit queasy now.</p><p>“That is just evil. What is wrong with you?” Andrea asks him, her face scrunched up unattractively.</p><p>“Next time let the cracker beat his ass,” Jacqui says, I laugh.\</p><p>“You suck,” Glenn says after wiping his mouth.</p><p>“I’m sorry, yo,” T-Dog says laughing.</p><p>“Do we smell like them?” Rick asks.</p><p>“Rick I literally smell like death’s arsehole I think we smell like them,” I say annoyed and feel disgusted.</p><p>“Oh yeah,” Andrea says holding her nose closed, eye’s watering, “Just in case, Glenn” Andrea hands her gun to Glenn.</p><p>“If we make it back, be ready.” Rick says.</p><p>“What about Merle Dixon?” T-Dog asks.</p><p>Rick tosses the handcuff key to T-Dog.</p><p>“Give me the axe. We need… we need more guts,” Rick says, swallowing down vomit.</p><p>Rick starts to chop again, so we can cover ourselves more before we walk outside, past two walkers that are close by, only looking briefly at us but smelling the scent of death don’t bother past that. All three of us crawl under a bus and come out on the other side where a huge herd of walkers is waiting. I look at Rick mouthing ‘If I die, I swear to god’. Shuffling along, trying to imitate how they walk without any of the walkers noticing that they are alive and not one of them.</p><p>“It’s gonna work. I can’t believe it,” Glenn whispers.</p><p>“Glenn quiet” I whisper back with a snap in my voice.</p><p>“Don’t draw attention,” Rick agrees, also whispering.</p><p>It starts to rain, as we’re still in the herd of walkers, Rick and Glenn try not to panic, but it’s evident that they are. We all keep a normal pace, I knew I could apparate out of here at any moment if need be.The walkers around us start getting the scent of life wefting off of us, getting a little more aggressive towards us to figure out if we’re dead or alive. </p><p>“The smell’s washing off. Isn’t it? Is it washing off?” Glenn asks, in a hushed tone.</p><p>“No, it’s not. Well maybe,” Rick says. </p><p>“It is, hurry the fuck up,” I say, moving my hand to grip my needle point hunting knife. </p><p>The walkers went attack us, deciding we were alive, and would make a tasty meal. One charges us and Rick crushes it’s skull with the axe. I take out on with my knife.</p><p>“Run!” Rick shouts.</p><p>All of us book it down the street, killing walkers as we go. Rick with the axe and Glenn with his crowbar. I holster my knife before hopping over the fence, Rick and Glenn throwing theirs before climbing over just before the walkers are able to get us. While Glenn finds the keys to the truck, Rick pulls Merle’s pistol and kills more walkers with it. I do the same with my pistol. </p><p>“Rick! Harry!” Glenn yells having found the keys, he throws them to Rick. Running into the truck I sit on Glenn’s lap in order to not get eaten by walkers. One of said walkers was already banging on the window where Glenn and I sat.</p><p>“Go go go go!” Glenn yells, before Rick speeds off before the walkers can catch up.</p><p>“Oh my God. Oh my God. They’re all over that place,” Glenn freaks out, as we drive away.</p><p>“No shite, we were so close to dying,” I say, catching my breath, then starting to laugh, almost hysterical, Glenn looks at me worried.</p><p>“You good?” He asks me.</p><p>“Yeah,” I say wiping my eyes, letting Rick talk now.</p><p>“You need to draw them away. Those roll-up doors at the front of the store.. That area? That’s what I need cleared. Raised you friends. Tell them to get down there and be ready,” He says</p><p>“And I’m drawing the geeks away how? I… I missed that part,” Glenn says.</p><p>“Noise.”</p><p>After stopping the truck we pull up to a red sports car, he smashes the window out causing the alarm to go off. Hotwiriing the car for Glenn.</p><p>“I thought you were a cop?” I say laughing.</p><p>“I got up to shit as a kid,” Rick says laughing.</p><p>I nod, “Same.”</p><p>Glenn drives the sports car back towards the store, while I and Rick take the truck back.</p><p>“Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street… Meet us there and be ready,” Glenn says into the radio.</p><p> </p><p>Thanks to Glenn’s fast maneuvering Rick has the chance to pull in the truck. </p><p>“Hey, wait for me!” T-dog shouts as everyone heads to the slide-up door, walkers getting into the store, “They’re here! Let’s go! They’re in here!”</p><p>Rick bangs on the door, “Let’s go! Open the door!,” Everyone shouts from inside. </p><p>“We’ve gotta go!” T-dog shouts.</p><p>Everyone gets in the back of the truck tossing in the supplies we got earlier before we got trapped. </p><p>“I’m in!” Morales yells, getting in and closes just before the walkers could get to us and we drive off. I sit back in the passenger seat, taking deep breaths. God I should just tell everyone about my damn magic. </p><p>I look in the back of the truck seeing everyone but Merle.</p><p>“I dropped the damn key,” T-Dog says.</p><p>I look at him and lean back in the seat again. Daryl was not going to be happy. Driving away from Atlanta.</p><p>“Where’s Glenn?” Andrea asks everyone. </p><p>I facepalm, “Andrea if I could slap a woman.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's it. Only took me several hours and lots of going back and forth between actual google doc and the tv episode but it's done. Hopefully, another chapter will be completed in the up and coming days! I appreciate all comments, critics, suggestions, compliments, etc.!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Frogs Actually Get Caught</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>If you save your chapter spot by putting a number in the description of the bookmark, don't update it!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Chapter 3 - The Frogs Actually Get Caught</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Best not to dwell on it. Merle got left behind. Nobody’s gonna be sad he didn’t come back… Except maybe Daryl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How the fuck did you guys leave a whole ass person on a fucking roof!” I go off, “Just because you don’t like him, doesn’t mean you can leave him up there to fucking die of exposure and dehydration!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I padlocked the door shut, he’s safe from them walkers,” T-Dog says, I could see the guilt written on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I cross my arms, “Well at least you did that I guess, bloody fucking hell. Daryl’s going to be so pissed the fuck off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daryl?” Rick asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s Merle’s brother, so I hope you can see why this isn’t going to be pleasant for anyone,” I say, peeved at how basically everyone seemed happy for Merle to be gone. Sure he was an ass, and a racist piece of shit but to just leave him there like that. It’s inhumane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoo-hoo!” Glenn yells as he passes us in the car that was blaring its alarm still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least somebody’s having a good day,” Morales says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All of should consider this a good fucking day, we got out of there alive,” I say annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone has a guilty look on their face as we drive back, for the love of merlin I just hope they let me confront Daryl. He’d beat the bloody hell out of basically anyone else, especially hearing why and how Merle got left behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We pull up behind Glenn, unable to see much from where we park. I’m already hopping out of the truck we took, others following with supplies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come meet everybody,” Morales says to Rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea and Amy reunite the second she gets out of the truck, it reminds me of Teddy. Every time I’d visit him and Andromeda he’d run to him, hopping into my arms and hold tight, not letting go till we got inside. I shake my head free of the thoughts, if I let myself think about it I’d only start to cry. I don’t even know if he’s alive right now, I don’t know if any of the few people I had are still alive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look over and see Morales also being greeted happily by his family, I clench my jaw. Daryl and Merle wouldn’t be able to do that today, maybe never again. Hopefully, the padlock T-dog put on the door held up and he didn’t die from thirst or heat stroke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane is also there looking at Morales.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a welcome sight,” Dale says happily laughing and hugs Morales, both now laughing, “I thought we had lost you folks for sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’d y’all get out of there anyway?” Shane asks, I walk over to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Found another survivor, plus Jacqui had some interesting insight on the buildings that led to the ultimate idea that got us out,” I say, “Anyways-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“New guy?” Shane asks suspiciously, I look at him with a blank face trying to not punch him. He didn’t respect anyone except the bitch, Lori, and even then it wasn’t respect he had for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, crazy Vato just got into town. Hey helicopter boy! Come say hello,” Morales yells for rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He has a name you know?” I say rolling my eyes, I didn’t get this place and how they didn’t introduce people properly at least the first time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The guy’s a cop like you,” Morales adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick hops out of the truck, ready to be introduced and meet everyone. Walking up with a typical sheriff strut, before stopping. I look between where he stood and where his gaze seemed to be stuck on. Shane seeing the dude first, Carl and Lori after, seeing Rick. A look of pure joy taking over the latter two’s faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god,” Rick says, Carl and Lori running towards him, he meets them partway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I bite my lip, today was getting harder to bear with. Everyone was having a happy reunion, while we all were a part of the reason Daryl wouldn’t get his own. Adding that I may never even find out simply if my godson was alive or dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad! Dad!” Carl yells to Rick who hugs him tight, tears in his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carl… oh!” He says quietly, filled with joy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I walked away after that, going to wait at the camp I shared with the Dixon brothers. If Daryl wasn’t back tonight I’d join the group by the campfire. I preferred to cook for the group, everyone else was so inept. Honestly, it was really a more selfish thing I allowed, when I finally tried my own food I almost had to change my pants. Years of cooking for my ungrateful abusive family left me with amazing kitchen skills.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turns out Daryl probably wouldn’t be back for a while, he honestly could be gone for a day or two hunting sometimes. The group's rule of ‘we don’t go out alone’ didn’t really apply to the brothers or me. It was so much easier to get around and do things alone for me, no risk of my magic being exposed. I really didn’t want to know what the ministry would choose to do during this time if magic was exposed if the ministry was even still standing. I’m slightly scared of what it would mean if it wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shake my head tuning back into Rick’s story of how he woke up from his coma to this world that had gone to ruin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Disoriented. I guess that comes closest. Disoriented. Fear, confusion… all those things but… Disoriented comes closest,” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Words can be meager things. Sometimes they fall short,” Dale says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a word for almost everything, most people just don’t know them,” I say, “Heck you might find the word is actually a phrase instead, or from another language even.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dale looks at me and just laughs, “Yeah I guess so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I felt like I’d been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma dream, something I might now wake up from ever,” Rick continues. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod along, understanding the feeling. Waking up from being killed again felt like that, especially when things kept going wrong after that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom said you died,” Carl says to Rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She had every reason to believe that. Don’t you ever doubt it,” Rick says to Carl, putting an end in the kids head of any malicious intent his mom might have had?</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “When things started to get really bad, they told me at the hospital that they were gonna medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta, and it never happened,” Lori explains. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m not surprised after Atlanta fell,” Rick agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was in Atlanta when this shit started,” I add, everyone looks at me. I didn’t talk much about how or why I was here, and people definitely wanted to ask. Especially with the accent and all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had just moved here, rented an apartment, and a week later I looked out my window and people on the street were crashing into things. People munching on each other like they were rabid dogs. It all reminded me of-” I shut my mouth, I couldn’t say war. The muggles only knew of the events that Lord fuckwad pulled as terrorist attacks, no other information released except when I killed him that it was over and the mastermind had been taken down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could feel the eye’s on me, wanting me to say more, continue to tell them what I was saying. Even after all these years I hate looking back on the first 18 years of my life, so much pain, fear, and death surrounded it. I look down at the food I cooked, remembering how no one thanked me for it but Rick and Glenn. These weren’t the people to talk about this around, at least for now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did it remind you of, son?” Dale asks me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t look up, “My childhood,” I say vaguely and get up, “See you all in the morning, today was long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone had looks of confusion and pity, Shane had a weird look on his face, I couldn’t decipher it. He always seemed to be in a fucking mood around everyone who wasn’t Lori or Carl and seemed to get even more into that mood now that Rick had shown up to stop his cuckolding. Eventually, I’m waved off, Dale looked worried, along with Glenn, but I didn’t- I wasn’t ready. Haven’t even explained magic, or said that I have it yet. It was all just too confusing without the knowledge of the wizarding world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I head over to my tent sitting down after zipping it up, I needed to get Merle back here. He must be in horrible fucking shape, hallucinating, and shit. If we wait another day, heck even the night he might give in, especially with him doing drugs during the fucking run. What the bloody hell was he thinking, almost as fucking stupid as my cousin with that shit? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I take a breath, standing up in the tent, and apparate to the building’s roof. Calming down beforehand so I didn’t fucking splinch myself. I stumble as I usually do, years of using the damn spell and I still couldn’t always find my balance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look around seeing Merle, passed out. He looked exhausted, covered in sweat. He probably yelled blasphemies till his throat was dry and ruined. I walk over to him, kneeling down spelling the lock open on the cuffs. I heave him up, grunting. Still short and underweight as usual, years of chronic malnutrition did that to a person. What muscle I had was lean and straining under the weight of Merle. He was tall and not light what-so-ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slapping his face a couple of times, hard, which definitely was enjoyable, until the ingrate woke up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merle! Merle!” I yell as his eyes open and close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry,” He coughs, his voice hoarse and the gravel in it more apparent than ever before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merle, can you stand?” I asked him, hoping he was somewhat conscious and could understand me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at me and nodded, “I ain’t no pansy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I laugh, rolling my eyes letting him down. I could live with the comments he made right now because it would make bringing him back easier if he was coherent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, now I need you to hold on tight, okay? This could go very fucking bad very fucking fast if you don’t,” I warn him, slapping him one more time as he blinked heavily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, slap me one more time you fucking-” He starts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I grit my teeth, “I wouldn’t start cursing at the one saving your pansy-ass Merle,” I say, trying to stay with a kind tone in my voice but still threatening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He huffs and just does as I say, finally I think to myself and side apparate us off of the roof and to my tent, I had most of my potions supplies there. I would undoubtedly need a couple of them for his horrid state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at me and then promptly passed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I whisper yell to myself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I take out my wand “Rennervate” I say so he’d wake up quicker, hoping he didn’t get splinched or that the apparate didn’t worsen his condition. I started doing diagnostic spells, as he blinked his eyes open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I take a breath and look around finding Merle’s water bottle he kept in the tent, sniffing it first to make sure it wasn’t alcohol of some sort. Forcing him to drink it all slowly to get him hydrated first off. Next to cool him off and get rid of the side effects of the drugs he took, giving him potions for both. The wizarding world seemingly could fix most all muggle ailments easily if you knew the right potion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Feeling better?” I ask him, my heart rate going down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grunts, “Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile, “Here this will help you sleep,” I say and give him a dreamless sleep potion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly sleep would heal anything else wrong with him at this point, he looked tweaked out and neurotic at this point, hopefully the sleep would get rid of that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at him I sigh as he instantly falls asleep, the potion working its magic, no pun intended. Laying back, thinking back on the day I’ve had. Tomorrow we probably get the guns or I could just go back right now, but that would be a little more unbelievable than me even getting Merle’s ass back here in the night. Deciding sleep would be best for both of us I close my eyes waiting for sleep to overtake me. It didn’t often enough, at least not without nightmares and waking up five-plus times in the night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up!” I hear someone yell at me as I wake up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sat up rubbing my eyes that were wet, I was drenched in sweat from my nightmare, “Sorry,” I mumble looking at Merle who just rolled over to continue to sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sigh and look down at myself, still in my clothes from the day before I smell them and almost vomit. They smelt fucking horrible, I looked at Merle, smelling him from where I sit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need a fucking bath Merle, we both do,” I say pinching my nose closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grunts, I nudge him, “Be up soon, if we want to clean off in the water we better get down there before the ladies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groans, “How did I even get back here?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I went back while everyone was asleep, got you off of the roof, and back here. So you should be thanking me right now, I saved your life,” I say a laugh bubbling in my throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep fucking wishing,” Merle grunts out, sitting up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I get up seeing him getting up, “Get out for my tent now you lazy ass,” I say and head out after grabbing what I would need to bathe and get dressed after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I stripped down to my boxer briefs, washing off. The sun is just rising, I take a breath of the fresh air. It was a nice day if a little hot. After I finished washing I quickly changed into a new pair of boxer briefs so I wouldn’t be caught naked. Merle had already finished before me, doing the bare minimum. Getting clean would always be the one thing I took luxuries in, made me feel a little bit more human.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I hear a gasp as I’m just pulling up my pants. I closed my eyes, I knew this would come eventually. I got away with not being caught without a shirt on for three months but that was over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry?” Carol says first, the worry evident.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey ladies, just washing off. Though I’ll be joining you in clothes washing later,” I say nonchalantly, acting as if they aren’t looking at my scarred body. I’d gained so many scars, many from belt lashings or curses flung at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, what happened?” Jacqui asks worried, they all walk over to me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pull on a shirt and pull a belt through the loops of my pants, “My adolescent years happened, nothing to worry over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really you don’t have to worry, now I should probably go up and tell everyone I went back into the city last night. Merle’s safe and sound now, got him to wash up and everything. Also, I prefer not to talk about what you saw, ever so please respect that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shocked looks crossed their faces. I shrugged it off, pulling on my socks and boots before rushing away. I really didn’t need more questions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I ran a hand through my wet hair, it was soft and smelled good from the specialized products I use. All homemade and magical, like I said cleaning is a luxury. Even if it doesn’t get to happen as often in these times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning Rick,” I say as I walk into the main camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning Harry,” He says smiling at me, walking around the camp before finding Lori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, officer,” She says to him and just looks at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t a fan, and it went both ways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Rick says to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sleep okay?” She asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better than in a long time,” Rick says smiling at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smiled at the two of them, he obviously loved her a lot. It would be hurt when he found out about what he so-called best friend and her sleeping together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I didn’t want to wake you. I figured you could use it. God. What?” Lori asks him, seeing his thoughtful face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been thinking about the man we left behind,” Rick says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh about that!” I butt in, “I already got him, he’s probably back at his own tent right now. He was in rough shape, but I happen to be a doctor so it worked out,” I say rubbing the back of my neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? You went alone, at night?” He turns to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane decides now is the time to roll up with water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water’s here, y’all. Just a reminder to boil before use,” Shane says, “Now what’s going on?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry went back to the city, got Merle back, all alone during the night,” Rick says looking at me indescribably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know that’s not how we do things,” Shane says getting in my face, Lori smirks behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah well I don’t leave men on roofs to fucking die,” I say back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could have died! For what?! That fucking redneck?” Shane growls at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the hell are you mad? You don’t even like me,” I say confused backing up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re our only doctor, you have value he doesn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shane, who hunts for us? Who cleans the animals to be cooked? Merle and Daryl. They have value whether you like them or not,” I say, ready to punch Shane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly a scream sounds off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom!” Carl screams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carl?” She says we all start racing towards the screams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s over there!” One of the men in the camp yells, pointing us in the direction. Rick is tossed a metal pole. I run ahead of Rick, more physically fit and faster in general. I already take out my knife ready to kill any walker or other threat I see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carl! Baby!” Lorie yells as he runs to her, I and Rick continue the threat still imminent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So many people were yelling and shouting, honestly, it would only draw out any other walker nearby. I don’t get these fucking people, also why the hell was no one watching the damn kids?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I made it over to where the kids ran. A walker was digging into what would have made a nice couple of dinners, aka a deer. I step over quietly and stab it in the head swiftly, kicking it away from the deer as the others show up behind me. Rick, Shane, Glenn, Jim, and Morales all make a semi-circle, honestly, kind crescent-shaped, where we entered the clearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the hell was no one watching the damn kids!?” I say looking at them, anger evident on my face, “I would never let Ted-” I stop speaking turning away from everyone, calming myself down. They didn’t need to know my fucking sob story, especially while they leave their kids unattended to get fucking eaten by walkers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I just woke up, how-” Rick starts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you to speak?! You left camp alone, in the middle of the night!” Shane snarls out at me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I squeeze my nails into my fist, “Yeah well sorry I didn’t want to leave a man to fucking die,” I say through clenched teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop fighting, Jesus. We do need to keep a better eye on the kids, and Harry please don’t go out alone again. You could have died, and I for one would miss you,” Glenn says, calming us both down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the first one we’ve had up here. They never come this far up the mountain,” Dale adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well they’re running out of food in the city, that’s what,” Jim adds, a bit creepy and morbid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look at the woods, hearing branches snapping and footsteps coming closer. Getting my knife ready to attack any walker that comes out of the forest, but also allowing for it to show first. No one needs to attack an innocent person who might be stumbling through the woods. A stumbling Daryl Dixon pops out of the woods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I take a breathe and put away my knife after wiping the blood off of it, “You scared the fuck out of us!” I say hitting his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daryl looks at me, his way of saying sorry then turns away looking at the deer, “Son of a bitch! That’s my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this… filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!” Daryl yells and kicks the carcass of the walker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daryl, that’s not needed. It’s already dead,” I say to him, looking to everyone else to just let me deal with this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daryl huffs, annoyed and angry, “I’ve been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do y’all think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?” Daryl asks the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would not risk that,” Shane says, looking down at it in disgust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t either, still don’t know how this virus acts exactly and if it can be transferred through eating something a walker was munching on,” I add agreeing with Shane, that didn’t happen often.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a damn shame. I got some squirrel, ‘bout a dozen or so. That’ll have to do,” Daryl says, his arms crossed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>We all start walking to camp, I keep up with Daryl as he walks faster than everyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let’s stew ‘em up!” Daryl yells for Merle, who is running up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s my little pansy-ass brother,” Merle says, “How many squirrels?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘Bout a dozen, feed us all tonight. Good eating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glad I am able to enjoy it and not still up on that damn roof,” Merle laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Daryl looks at everyone, including me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daryl-” Shane tries to take the lead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about I handle this one,” I say to Shane, with a fake smile on my face, “New dude, Rick right there handcuffed your brother to the roof in Atlanta when he started beating on T-Dog. Which was a valid response but definitely not appropriate with the world in this state. I said as much when they all fucking left him up there-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Left him up there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daryl, I went back that night. See he’s safe, and doing better than before. The idiot was high during the run and had to give him a detox. Anyways, he’s alright, still his ugly ass self.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daryl just grabs my arm and pulls me away from the rest of the people, it was a bit tight and definitely would bruise from the grip. Merle follows behind his brother, and I wave to everyone, not letting this affect me visibly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He keeps walking us away until we’re in our separate camp, swinging me in for a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look towards Merle, but it’s over before anyone can say anything, “Uh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Daryl says quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, you scared me for a second there,” I sigh in relief, “Also don’t mention it. If I could do something to save just about anyone of you I will, it’s just who I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merle shakes his head, “Fucking wack job is what you are,” he mumbles out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A wack job that saved your sorry fucking ass,” I say my tone free of malice, obviously teasing or at least I hope so.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Daryl and his brother walk back up to the camp next to after we’ve finished preparing the squirrels for dinner. It didn’t take long, 30 minutes to an hour tops. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Rick,” I say walking over to him as I see him and Shane arguing. Probably not the smartest but I’ve been in the middle of enough arguments to keep the peace on both sides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick turns away from Shane, “We need the guns I dropped back in the city,” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No we don’t, it’s not worth the risk Rick!” Shane yells back at him, getting in Rick’s face now, getting more heated than it was before I walked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bloody hell, calm the fuck down both of you. We got dead trying to kill us, there’s no need to become threats to each other as well,” I say pushing Shane away from Rick, “It is a risk Shane, but it’s also a risk every time Glenn and I go out along with everyone for supplies. This is the same thing, guns are very effective and we’re running low on ammo. If I can get in and out of that damn city with Merle’s high ass all alone, then we can go get a bag of guns without trouble. Okay?” I say sternly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane looks shocked, Rick looks out of sorts but happy to be agreed within this moment. I rarely commanded anything of anyone, mostly just making snide comments not wanting to get involved in the politics of the group. That just didn’t seem to be something I could do here in this moment and probably never again, not if I wanted to stay and see these people live. They were almost helpless in a way of how they naively trusted and in the same breathe didn’t trust anyone slightly different from themselves. </span>
</p><p><span>“You get four men, Harry stays-”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“Why the fuck do I have to stay?!” I ask confused by him completely.</span></p><p>
  <span>“Because you blatantly disregarded the rules and your own safety last night. Frankly, I don’t feel like having Rick around someone so reckless out there,” Shane says glaring, but for some reason, it didn’t hold any anger or heat in it. He was definitely spouting off whatever words seemed to be as convenient as possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I’d feel safer with Harry here anyways. He’s fast and handy when it comes to killing those things,” Rick says to Shane before turning to me, “Please don’t let Carl get hurt okay? You too Shane, I need him safe. I just got my family back, my best friend back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We both nod, “I won’t let anyone get hurt, I’d die before that happens,” I say, and feel a real glare grow on Shanes's face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’ll keep Harry’s stupid ass alive, and your son’s,” Shane informs Rick, making him chuckle and me even more confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick calls his son over and has a father-son chat, the type I had with Teddy before I left for America. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Shane asks, out of nowhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” My tone being more defensive then I meant it too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re crying, Harry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I bring a hand up to my face feeling the wetness that wasn’t there before, the numbness in my face disappearing and turning red hot. Turning on my heel and walking away listening to Shane’s shouts trying to call me back, I all but start to run away. I’ve kept all this in till now, why were these emotions bubbling up like this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I feel a hand grab my shoulder and hear feet scraping into the ground behind me as to stop from a run. Being turned around and pushed into a chest, Shane’s chest to be exact. I dwarfed in comparison but felt safe. Feeling the obvious abs he had as he held me as I cried, rapidly calming down and the red heat of my face sticking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know I’m kind of a dick sometimes, well a lot of the time but you don’t need to act so strong around me. It’s okay to hurt,” Shane says, and it feels so out of place yet so right to me. He’s never like this, not even with Lori and they had such a higher intimacy level. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pull away from him, looking around noticing we were almost to mine and the Dixon’s camp, away from prying eyes, “I- Why? You- You don’t do this, not even with that- with Lori?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, you just have this pain and I relate to it somehow. You’ve been used and hurt, abounded and I just- she doesn’t get that. I just wanted to be there for her because I felt guilty, and she dropped me like nothing. We weren’t even close, at least I don’t think we were. It was just comfort.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, understanding it all. I may have never resorted to sleeping with people to comfort them but Merlin knows I did everything under the moon for others to be okay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what I’m hearing is you care about me, nice to know Shane. Really nice to know, I’m going to rinse my face off. Have to wash some clothes in the lake so you get first Carl watch,” I say laughing the best I can, which is a weak chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah okay, if you need to cry again just come to me okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, ladies!” I greet the group of women who are sitting on the edge of the lake, washing clothes. My own washing board and bucket in hand, I sit down next to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Harry finally joined us today?” Jacqui asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” I say and start to wash my clothing, I could magick it but that never felt as clean as really washing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few minutes, Shane and Carl noisily make their way down from camp and seem to be playing some American water game I hadn’t seen before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m beginning to question the division of labor here,” Jacqui quips, Andrea nodding and so do I.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can someone explain to me how the woman wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can in fact confirm I am not a woman Jacqui,” I say to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, the woman and Harry who’s an honorary woman, wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?” She fixes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” I say laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The world ended. Didn’t you get the memo?” Amy says, and we all smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I definitely didn’t,” I said nudging her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just the way it is,” Carol says. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I cringe at the defeated tone she had, “Shouldn’t be, everyone should put in a fair share of everything,” I say angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Preaching to the choir,” Jacqui says to me, and we all go back to washing, moving away from the upsetting topic that I could feel left bitter feelings for them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do miss my Maytag,” Carol says after time passes bringing back conversation so it all didn’t seem so depressing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss my Benz, my sat nav.,” Andrea adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss my coffeemaker with that dual-drip filter and built-in grinder, honey,” Jacqui says and you could feel the passion she held for such simple objects of an old life that would possibly never be there again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My computer... And texting,” Amy adds wistfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss my vibrator,” Andrea says and I start to laugh with the rest of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Jacqui laughs out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god,” Amy says like a typical teen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carol side eye’s everyone, “Me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I laugh harder, before only adding to the fuel of the laughter, “Mine had 5 speeds, definitely miss it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry!” Jacqui says even more in shock then laughs harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?” Ed says walking up to us, the laughter dying away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leave it to the woman beater to ruin the fun, no matter how many times I tried to dissuade him it didn’t stop and was one of the things that made me stay up at night. The spells I put on him never worked and it wasn’t my place to get involved. If I’m being honest he terrified me in a way, reminding me of Vernon and my childhood that was filled with beatings that have scared and traumatized me for life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Problem, Ed?” Andrea asks defensively and I thanked Merlin for making her in this moment, no matter how dense she was in deadly situations and runs, she had a backbone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothin’ that concerns you. And you ought to focus on your work. This ain’t no comedy club.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shamefully dropped my head, trying to get the images of Vernon standing over me before he beat me. Maybe I should have taken Hermione’s advice and seen a therapist. Stupid fucking stubborn boy. I start washing my clothes in haste, wanting to finish it up so I could run away from this area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ed, tell you what… you don’t like how your laundry is done, you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here,” Andrea says and throws a shirt at him, Ed throwing it right back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ain’t my job, missy,” Ed says to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Andrea, don’t,” Carol says, I felt her pain and fear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is your job, Ed? Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes?” Andrea continues to antagonize him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it sure as hell ain't listening to some uppity smart-mouthed bitch. Tell you what… come on. Let's go,” Ed motions for Carol, who starts to get up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I finally snap out of it and grab her standing up next to her. The others do as well. United together, against him. My magic was going wild under my skin wanting to protect us, but I held it back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed,” Andrea continues to talk for us, no one capable of finding their voice other than her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it sure as hell ain’t listening to some uppity smart-mouthed bitch. Tell you what… come on. Let’s go,” Ed says, the motion of Carol to follow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shook where I stood, trying to reign in my wild magic. I couldn’t let anything more happen to her, more than I already did. Taking a shaky step forward to get closer just in case he decided to grab her or hit her.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I say it’s none of your business. Come on now. You heard me!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carol moves to step forward, gently I take her hand and look her dead in the eyes, “Carol-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, please. It doesn’t matter,” Carol says, sounding truly defeated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>My heart ached for her, my magic was becoming more and more wild and frantic. It was almost sentient in the way it felt emotions just like me, intestifing everything. I saw so much of the little boy I used to be, and still am sometimes in her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t think I won’t knock you on your ass just ‘cause you’re some little sissy-doctor faggot, all right? Now you come on now or you gonna regret it later,” Ed threatens her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed? Yeah, we’ve seen them,” Jacqui quips, crossing her arms, standing her ground in front of Ed who in turn just laughed. I felt sick at the sound. The narcissistic laughter that he couldn’t be stopped in this endless cycle of abuse he created with his wife. Vernon did the same thing, thinking he was invincible and I believed it every time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay out of this. Now come on! You know what? This ain’t none of y’all’s business. You don’t want to keep prodding the here okay? Now I am done talking. Come on,” Ed all but yells in Carol’s face, grabbing her arm and pulling her away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I tighten my grip on her hand and pull her closer to me, mindlessly making his hand sting at the contact of her arm so he’d let go. His face contorting in shock and anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No no,” Andrea starts, Amy following, “Carol, you don’t…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t tell me what! I tell you what!” Ed yells, and rear’s his hand back to slap Carol. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I move quickly, pushing her behind me into Amy and Andrea feeling the full force of the slap against my face as I stumble to the left from it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think you can…” Ed yells afterward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all move in front of me, so both her and me were protected from his pursuing attacks, grabbing onto him as I hold Carol. I could feel a bruise forming, right beneath the skin, glad that it was me and not her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back the fuck off them!” They scream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come here! Come here!” Ed yells, the base in his voice coming out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get off, stop!” They continue to yell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ed?” Carol says, sounding broken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>My eyes drifted up finally to see Shane walking over, the anger visible on his face. Throwing Ed to the ground hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, it’s all going to be okay,” I say to her, holding her to my chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, it’s all fine,” I try to cover the sound of Ed yelling and then the sound of Shane beating Ed. Everyone watches in horror as Shane mutilates Ed’s face, not me though. I felt a sense of justice in it. Seeing it made me feel safer knowing Shane would protect us, even if it was a bit brutal. Some things require a brutal non-hasting hand, someone who’ll just do what’s needed without question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shane, stop! Just stop!” Andrea yells, everyone joining in. I stay quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Shane grabs Ed, “You put your hands on your wife, your little girl, or anybody else in this camp one more time, I will not stop next time. Do you hear me? Do you hear me?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” He gasps out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll beat you to death,” Shane growls out, throwing one last punch then kicks him in the stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> I try to contain Carol so she wouldn’t run back to him, her abuser. Andrea grabs my arm, making me jump a little and let her go. I glare at her but understood that she had to walk away from this on her own. Accept what this relationship was/is and choose to move away from it. I just hope it can happen sooner rather than later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unable to stand there and listen to the cries as Carol kneeled over Ed, I walk away following Shane in the direction he went. Completely frazzled and in need of something to get my magic to calm down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shane! Hey, wait up!” I yell, he turns around, right in my face as I try not to cower. His face softens.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I- He-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it, that was, triggering, to say the least,” I try to laugh it off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, are you okay? That bastard hit you really hard, and no offense, I know you can handle yourself, but you’re tiny. Like smaller than Carol, and that’s saying something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I just laugh again, “Years of neglect and abuse can do that to a person, plus my parents from what I hear weren’t the tallest of people…” I trail off before finding my point, “Can we hang out? Just you and me, I don’t- I can’t go back there right now but I don’t want to be alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, I could use some time away from everyone too,” Shane says and I smile at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I found this great clearing in the forest near my camp, not too far in but enough to just relax in the silence, great shade, and a fallen tree stump-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds great show the way,” Shane stops my rambling with a smile of his own. This was probably some of the most words I’ve said to him ever, and he didn’t seem to mind that I just rambled on. I blush, "Maybe we can bring Carl and actually catch some frogs?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That sounds like an awesome plan."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, so I finally finished chapter three. It's 6000 plus words and I love it. You really see a truer extent to how this Harry I've created so far deals with and experiences trauma and triggers. I also may have changed the ship because the story was just writing itself in a different direction than Daryl and Harry, but along with Glenn, they will have the best bromance. Also, I just thought if Shane had someone who was actually there for him things could have gone better. But like that's just me. Anywayssssss, please comment suggestions, things you'd like to see, or just anything. I love comments they keep me going, make me want to write more.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Dead Goes Bumping in the Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally finished the 4th chapter! I'm so fucking happy it's done now and I'm really happy with the work I did. I hope you all love it as much as I do. I appreciate all comments, critics, suggestions, compliments, etc.! Also I don't own Harry Potter or The Walking Dead, they'd be way more gay.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>I could feel Lori’s eyes on me, burrowing into my back as I stood talking with Shane and Carl about all the frogs we caught yesterday. It was an intense, hateful glare, jealousy at its finest most unreasonable moment. She threw Shane to the side the second her husband Rick got back, and honestly it was fucking sad. I know what that’s like, being tossed aside when you’re no longer needed, no longer wanted but to still have all the expectations as before. </p><p>“I can’t believe we caught so many frogs that time!” Carl says excitedly, we had caught 10 frogs in total, all now trying to jump out of the bucket we stuck them in. </p><p>“Well three people just seems to be the perfect number to catch frogs,” I say laughing.</p><p>Shane smiles at me, probably because I did most of the work but didn’t want to take away this bonding moment for Shane and Carl. Carl may not be his kid but he sure as hell took care of him as such. Just like how I did for Teddy when he was younger. </p><p>“Oh, baby will you look at that,” Morales gets up walking over to Amy and Andrea who carried in their hand’s huge amounts of fish, “hey check that it out, ladies, because of you my family eats tonight. Thank you.”</p><p>“Thank Dale, it’s his canoe and gear,” Andrea says, you could tell it was a modest way of saying ‘you’re welcome’. </p><p>“Woah, Shane look at all the fish!” Carl says walking over to look at all the fish, Shane and I following behind. Shane blows a low whistle.</p><p>“That is very impressive,” Shane says, visibly impressed.</p><p>“Very, guess we’re having a good meal tonight,” I say, “I can cook if you two want?”</p><p>“Thanks, Harry,” Amy says, Andrea nods with her.</p><p>“You always cook better than the rest of us.”</p><p>“Can you guys teach me how to fish like that?” Carl asks, still having the childish awed look on his face.</p><p>“Sure. I’ll teach you all about nail knots and stuff. If it’s okay,” Amy says looking over to Lori.</p><p>“You won’t catch me arguing,” She says from her seat.</p><p>I took the fish from her, to fillet the fish and get them ready for tonight.</p><p>“Carl want to come and help fillet the fish? There’s quite a lot and it’ll be good practice for when you can reel in this many,” I say smiling down at him as he nods.</p><p>Lori glares at me again but is interrupted by Dale.</p><p>“I- uh- I don’t want to alarm anyone, but we may have a bit of a problem,” He stumbles over his words.</p><p>Shane walks over to him as Dale shows him and everyone else what it is. Jim digging holes like a mad man, in the burning heatwave that decided to grace us. </p><p>“Carl why don’t you put these in the cooler, for now, I’m going to go and see what I can do to help out Jim,” I say.</p><p>“Okay! I’ll watch them real good!” He says and runs off.</p><p> </p><p>We all walk up to the hill where Jim has dug tons of holes.</p><p>“Jim?” I say to get his attention.</p><p>“What,” he grunts as he’s sweating down like a dog in hell.</p><p>“I’m going to need you to stop digging, it’s too hot out for this. As everyone’s doctor, I really don’t want to have to take care of your imminent heat stroke on top of any injuries that might come up. At least if I can prevent it right now.”</p><p>Jim continues to dig at the ground, seeming to not listen. It was an eerie sight, why dig holes in the blistering heat? What sane person does that? No one that’s who. Reminds me of when seers woul- seers. Of course, premonition, these aren’t just holes. They’re graves, he thinks people are going to die soon, knows people are going to die. </p><p>Shane tries to move closer to Jim, closing in on him I quickly step forward and hold him back, “Let me okay, I think I know what’s going on with him,” I whisper and then advance, Shane backing off for the moment. His hands up in defeat for now.</p><p>I continue to walk closer slowly, tiptoeing over, I’d been in one too many situations like this, “Jim? Can you look at me please?”</p><p>He finally looks up, “Thank you, now I know you feel like you have to dig these holes but I promise I will do my best, so we don’t have to use them. Okay?” Everyone behind me is very confused. </p><p>He glares, “What do you know!? Just leave me alone! I’m not harming anyone up here!” easily slipping into a defensive and aggressive state.</p><p>“Jim, I really need you to calm down okay? We aren’t going to need the holes, no one is going to die Jim. Not tonight not on my watch,” wrap my hands around the shovel and pull it from his hands throwing it on the ground.</p><p>His arms drop staring at me, the aggression leaving his body slightly. “Okay now please let’s get you cooled off because you are harming someone. Yourself Jim, it’s easier to die of heatstroke than you’d think.”</p><p>He nods his head in defeat letting me lead him into a shaded area next to a tree. I shoo away while I do so, only Shane following behind me as I did so the entire walk for whatever strange reason he had concocted in his head. </p><p>I stand up and take a bucket of our already boiled and cooled off the water and a rag before presenting them to Shane, “Since you’re here take this cool water and rag, cool him off please. I’ll be back in a second, I have a herbal remedy that should help him calm down.”</p><p>“Okay,” He pulls me in gently by the arm, “I’d like an explanation of what just happened up there.”</p><p>“I’d like a lot of things right now Shane, you can wait until I grab the medicine for him. Okay?” Sass fills my voice, slightly annoyed at being grabbed no matter how gentle it was. He had no right to do so, not yet at least. </p><p>He huffs, rolling my eyes I head down to my tent, taking out a calming draught. Checking my stock I sighed, hopefully, it’d last a while. I couldn’t exactly brew potions in front of muggles. Heading back up seeing Rick, Daryl, and Glenn return, holding a bag of guns and ammo.</p><p>“Glad to see you all alive!” I holler, smiling. Walking over to Jim I take the top off the potion bottle, “Okay here you go, Jim, drink up,” I say helping him drink it. I chuckle slightly at his sour look knowing the taste myself all too well.</p><p>“What’s that?” Shane asks, his arms crossed while he stands behind me.</p><p>“Calming Draught, completely herbal and natural. I have quite a lot of alternative medicines, they're healthier and cheaper since I can make it myself. I’ve trained for years with it,” The white lies spilling out a little too naturally at this point. He’d gotten so used to lying about the little things that were far too abnormal for the muggles to understand and accept. Magic had made life so much better but also so horrible at the same time. </p><p>“Now Jim can I trust that you’ll stay right here and allow yourself to cool off?” He nods. Smiling brightly, I get up and move away from Jim, Shane following over to the RV where Rick, Glenn, and Daryl have returned. All going through the bag of guns and ammo they were able to get.</p><p>“Have any trouble getting the bag?” I ask, “Any injuries?”</p><p>“Got the bag then got out of there, didn’t want to get munched on by the walkers,” Glenn says laughing. </p><p>“Dale was telling us a bit of what went down,” Rick says, it was a clear question of what happened on my half. I sigh, scratching the back of my head, messing with my hair up. It was horribly outgrown, too thick as well making the heat worse on my head.</p><p>“I saw breakdowns like that in people back in Britain, they believe they’ve seen a future come to light and when it can’t be comprehended they do whatever their mind can come up with as a response. Jim thinks he saw death coming in the group, hence the graves he was digging. I merely used my training in these cases to calm him down,” Shane gave me an odd look but nodded accepting the explanation, probably happy to finally get one, “Along, with the herbal medicine, all the ingredients are natural sedatives to calm a person down. I don’t expect Jim to have another breakdown for a while or even get up much.”</p><p>“God you really are a live saver to have here, it’s really lucky that we all found you a doctor in the apocalypse,” Rick says smiling.</p><p>“He can cook too, if anyone were made for the apocalypse it would be him,” Glenn exclaims, and I blush, leave it to Glenn to start gushing over me. Shane huffs a scowl on his rugged face before walking off.</p><p>“Shane!” I yell, “I’m going to see what's up with him now, um I think Carl is still watching the fish for me why don’t you go check on him, Rick. He probably misses you, cause you just got back and all.”</p><p>Rick nods a slight laugh coming out from my ramblings. I follow after Shane, trying to match his angry stride. Reaching out to grab his arm and stop him, “Shane? What the heck dude?”</p><p>“It’s nothing, just leave me alone Harry,” He wipes around, having to force myself not to flinch at him being so close in my space and towering over me.</p><p>Standing my ground I let my other foot meet where the other lay almost touching Shanes boots, “It’s not nothing, what did I do that bothered you so much you just had to storm off like that? Is it cause I told everyone else what went down before you? Did I offend you somehow by that? I just didn’t want to repeat myself-”</p><p>Shane grabs me by my arms, “Harry you didn’t do anything wrong,” He takes a deep breath, “I’m having my own problems here, one of them being my anger. I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m going crazy with all this shit.”</p><p>“Then talk to me, don’t storm off. You could get hurt, and even if you are sometimes a total dickhead I don’t want that to happen,” I say looking him dead in the eye, “There is no correct way to handle the end of the world, along with your best friend who you thought died coming back to life. But I’m here, I’m literally trained in this stuff, you don’t need to do everything by yourself.”</p><p>“I’ve just- I thought he was dead. I would have never touched Lori if I had known he was alive. I didn’t even want to, I-I wanted to, I don’t know to be close to him. I missed him so much, and now she’s blaming me for all of this, I betrayed him.”</p><p>“You two were hurting, sure you chose to get that hurt through sex but he was dead to her and you. It’s no one’s fault, just go and tell him. Help him understand because you don’t want him finding out another way. If you tell him it’ll go smoother, and you won’t be lying to him.”</p><p>Shane hugs me, “Thank you, I’m gonna do that. I really hope you are right, I don’t want to lose him.”</p><p>“Tell him that, and get him away from Lori before you two talk she’s taking this as a threat when neither of you can really be at fault here,” I say hugging him back, “Also I usually don’t let anyone touch me so feel grateful.”</p><p>He laughs slowly, making my heart beat faster, “I’m really glad you’re here.”</p><p>“I’m glad I’m here too, now I told Rick to go to Carl, and I still have fish to prepare so come with me, please. Also yes I am making sure you actually go in do it, Mr. I have the emotional capabilities of a toddler,” Teasing him only leads to a louder laugh as we fall side by side as we walk over to where both Carl and Rick would be. Our hands brushed against each other, making a blush grow over my face slightly. How I wish this man wasn’t straight.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Carl, want to learn how to prepare the fish like a pro?” I ask him jogging slightly ahead in front of Shane, looking back for a second with a smile of encouragement.</p><p>“Yeah!” He says excitedly, Lori glaring slightly at me, but not as blatantly as before. I take Carl’s hand and grab the fish, “Let’s go do this over at the table, we’re going to want a flat surface to get these probably prepared.”</p><p>He nods and we walk away, Shane already pulling Rick away to talk. Showing Carl how to cut up the fish and helping when he needs it, “You’re doing really well,” I praise him.</p><p>“Yeah?” He asks me beaming with happiness.</p><p>“Definitely, the first time I prepared fish I cut the bloody hell out of my fingers,” My eyes widen slightly, quickly adding, “But look at me now! My cooking is the best here.”</p><p>He laughs, “Who taught you?”</p><p>“No one, I had to teach myself. You have a lot of people here to teach you how to survive and live in this new world,” I say placing more fish fillets in our done pile, fixing any of his little mistakes very quickly, “As the importance of seasoning, I’ll be right back with that. Another lesson doesn’t be as scatterbrained like me,” Making Carl laugh as I wander off to my tent, spotting Shane and Rick in the woods talking. Shane looks to be crying in Rick’s arms, Rick in the same state. </p><p>I hurry up so as to not intrude, Shane and Rick needed this moment. You have to be able to trust the people near you at least a little bit in this world, and it seems that those two are only going to be closer. Lori on the other hand I don’t know, she’s probably going to try and pull some bollocks. </p><p>“Here we go now just put on as much as I can and we’ll be good,” I say to Carl with a smile when I get back with all the spices, “I also have lard, but that’s more for we cook all these fish’s up. Add some more fat to them, everyone here could use it. Too skinny, you and I included,” I say smiling. </p><p>Keeping a good mood for everyone else was hard, even if I’ve done it for years it never gets any easier. Especially when Carl reminds me so much of Teddy, I really hope he’s alive and not dead like I think he is. </p><p>Dinner time is near when Carl and I finish with all the fish for tonight, leaving some to hopefully be good for tomorrow at least for a breakfast side. Carl helping with the cooking too, with Shane and Rick still gone Lori is back to her open glaring. </p><p>“Something smells delicious!” Shane’s deep voice resonates through the forest as he and Rick step out, both looking like they’ve thoroughly cried everything out.</p><p>“Thank Harry, he’s way too good at cooking. Why the hell did you choose to become a doctor when your cooking is restaurant-level good?” Amy asks me.</p><p>“I have a saving people complex, so being a doctor just seemed the most logical thing to do for me. I lost so many people when I was younger and thought of all the people I could have saved if I had medical knowledge. I’m glad to say I’ve saved many patients, there are losses but I know there was nothing more I could do in those situations,” I say to her, everyone listening in, “um I’ll be back in a second everyone can plate up their food, I have to grab the Dixon’s.”</p><p>I wave to everyone as I go to find the two brothers powering the trackers I put on them a month into knowing I would be staying here. They liked to hunt out far and I didn’t want there to be a day where they go missing without knowing at all where they were. I head into the thick bush of the forest to the direction their two trackers were pointing to.</p><p>“Merle! Dixon! Get your asses back to camp. I made dinner and I’m not having anyone miss my cooking!” I yell into the forest, the two having heard if the sound of footsteps meant anything. It was different from walker steps which the two of them taught me to tell the sounds apart from one another.</p><p>“What’d ya make little brit?” Merle asks me as he walks up with Daryl behind him, arms wrapping around my shoulder. I look at him incredulously, then down at his arm and back at him.</p><p>“Does someone like little ol’ me?” I tease Merle, who laughs.</p><p>“Didn’t know you could make jokes that weren’t fully just sarcasm,” Merle says with a loud laugh as we walk back up to the camp where everyone was sitting and eating my delicious food.</p><p>“Daryl you guys find anything out here?” I ask, who walks up on the other side of me, now having two large men on other sides of my body you’d think I’d be a bit uncomfortable but not with them, I trust them now.</p><p>Walking beside the RV’s side we all halt for just a second seeing a walker lurking, Merle releases me from his hold and I break into a sprint here Amy yells something about toilet paper as more walkers pop out of the woods.</p><p>“WALKERS!” I yell to warn everyone, stabbing the walker that is just about to round the corner of the RV, it falls after I take my knife out of its head. Amy staring at it, I toss her a knife, “Kick out the legs and then stab through their head,” I say to her seeing another one come towards her, taking my advice she stumbles slightly but gets the job done. </p><p>Everyone else in the camp was mostly gathered over by the fire, guns blazing shooting walkers down while some were using other makeshift weapons. I spot Jim where I left him and get him standing pushing him into the RV saying to lock the door. </p><p>I hurry over to the other as one of the men is bitten and heavily feasted on, a complete goner; the walkers are shot, but it’s too late. The mothers of the group cover their children’s eyes to hopefully spare them from the horrific sight to in some way preserve some innocence. I kill the walkers closer to me, Merle and Daryl doing the same as we make our way with Amy to the others who are just barely saving themselves from a nasty bite. </p><p>It’s all so quick as the walkers are killed and we lose people at the same time, anyone who is bit I instantly know is just dead. Saddened to the core, feeling the failure I feel every time I lose a patient when there is nothing to do besides making the person comfortable. One last gunfire is shot, everyone sitting staring at the blood and gore surrounding us. Jim finally exits the RV.</p><p>“I remember why I dug the holes,” He says to the group, I fell to my knees in tears. I truly failed. I feel someone embrace me, looking up I see Shane’s rugged face, grabbing his sheriff button-up shirt and cry into it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I appreciate all comments, critics, suggestions, compliments, etc.!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Bloody C.D.C.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Here is the complete chapter, next up the CDC episode and we are technically done with season one of the walking dead!!! How weird is that? Very weird. So enjoy the chapter everyone hopefully the next one doesn't take as long to write, I just had a harder time with this chapter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That night was hard on everyone, more so on those who lost family and on Harry as well. He knew this was coming, already suspected Jim was a seer and must have some squib blood. Being as ominous as he was, and that he surely didn’t know about any of this heritage he had.</p><p>Harry sat up in Shane’s tent, having been brought there by the man when he wouldn’t let go of him. The Dixon’s were skeptical at best over it, trying to pry Harry away from him in the state of shock that hit after the initial adrenaline was gone. </p><p>“We should go clean up the bodies,” I say finally, look over at Shane, “And, um thanks for taking care of me last night.”</p><p>A blush goes up against Harry’s neck and face entirely, feeling ashamed of how he reacted. He was better than that, he had gone through more than that. Also though it was nice to have the comfort of another person there to hold him while he broke down. Months of having to go strong, not break down, or else a walker might get him had run its path of destruction on his mindset.</p><p>“Yeah, there’s quite a few. Some our own and others, well already dead,” Shane says, the obvious signs of nausea hitting. </p><p>“Let’s get to work then,” Getting up from the tent still fully dressed from the night before, “God I need to change these clothes out.”</p><p>“A little blood too much for the posh British man?” Merle says walking up to the tent, “Not’ing happen right? I’ve been fixin’ to hitting Sheriff dick.”</p><p>“Nothing happened Merle, calm down,” I say laughing, “Come on we’re going to pick up bodies, and then I think we’re finally going to have to leave the quarry. It’s just not safe, too open, and easy to sneak up on.”</p><p>Shane nods along, silently steaming at Merle’s insinuation along with the thoughts of where we should go next I assume. I get the two of them to help me move a walker after I stab it again in the head swiftly not leaving anything to chance. We didn’t need anyone getting bit, heck there might even be someone bit already. I doubt if they are they wouldn’t say anything about it, fearing what would become of them. </p><p>Rick joins us with the rest of the group in picking up the bodies, Andrea and even Amy included.</p><p>“Harry, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for Amy- I- she could have died last night. She would have died last night if you had not been there to kill that walker and give her a weapon,” Andrea says to me as I stand up fully from putting a body down.</p><p>“I know I give you a lot of shit but I would never let anyone die if I can do something about it,” giving her a smile, Amy looks over at me smiling as well.</p><p>“Do you want your knife back?” She asks.</p><p>“No, you keep it, don’t want you or heck, anyone, here to be unarmed at any time. Not when we’re here and definitely not ever if we decide to leave. It’s too dangerous with the walkers in the city moving further out trying to find food.”</p><p>She nods and attaches the casing to her belt loop with the clip that was built into the sheath. I had made sure to have as many extra weapons such as knives when we searched for supplies. Guns and ammo run out but knives could last a lot longer.</p><p>Daryl and T-Dog over one of our people who died last night to the walker pile to be burned. </p><p>“What are you guys doing?” Glenn asks them both, “This is for geeks. Our people go over there.”</p><p>“What’s the difference they’re all infected,” Daryl says to Glenn.</p><p>I start walking over knowing this is going to get heated.</p><p>“Our people go in that row over there. WE DON'T BURN THEM! We bury them. Understand? Our people go in that row over there.”</p><p>“Glenn, they’re infected. And we don’t know how this spreads. We shouldn’t bury them, they could taint the soil. As sad as it is this a plague, a plague that has wiped out probably more than half the population on earth. Everyone has to do their part in keeping this from ever happening again. There’s nothing wrong or disrespectful about burning bodies.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Glenn, do you want this shit to ever end? Think of what people did in the middle ages with the black plague? They burned the bodies that were infected, burned entire villages to stop the spread actually,” I say to him, “It’s less time as well, we don’t need to be caught in another wave of walkers because of this. If we burn them everyone can say their goodbyes around the fire.”</p><p>Glenn finally nods, “Okay, we can do that.” </p><p>A smile overtakes my face, “Thank you for understanding, no one is going to disrespect them. Last night was a tragedy, and we lost too many.” </p><p> </p><p>Everyone finished, the bodies being burned and everyone done with their goodbyes. The entirety of the group gathering around the RV and other cars and vehicles.</p><p>“We need to leave,” Shane says, “Harry agrees, I think we all do.”</p><p>“I heard the C.D.C was working on a cure,” Rick pitches his idea.</p><p>“I heard that too. But that was before all this shit went down Rick,” Shane says to him.</p><p>“What if the C.D.C is still up and running?”</p><p>“I think it’s a stretch,” Shane says shaking his head.</p><p>“It might be, they have safety measures to keep power running for months. Scientists have a duty to figure out shit like this, there could still be people left there,” I say, “It’s worth a shot at least.”</p><p>“Harry, how are you agreeing with this?” Shane asks me, a hurt look on his face.</p><p>“People need hope Shane, and if a cure is real maybe we should go and look for it at least this time. If it doesn’t work we find something else.”</p><p>“If there's any government left, any structure at all, they'd protect the C.D.C. at all costs, wouldn't they? I think it's our best shot. Shelter, protection…”</p><p>“Okay, Rick, you want those things, all right? I do too, okay? Now if they exist, they're at the army base. Fort Benning.”</p><p>“That’s 100 miles in the opposite direction,” Lori buts in.</p><p>“That is right. But it's away from the hot zone. Now listen to me. If that place is operational, it'll be heavily armed. We'd be safe there.”</p><p>“The military was on the front lines of this thing. They got overrun. We've all seen that. The C.D.C. is our best choice”</p><p>“How about this, Fort Benning is way further than any of our vehicles could take us. The C.D.C. is doable at least for us to check out. If that doesn’t work out we head for Fort Benning or if we find something better before then we stay there. We have to be flexible in planning or we’re all going to die.”</p><p>Shane huffs but nods, “Okay, we can stop by but I am skeptical of this.”</p><p>I nod and shake my head, “Then if it doesn’t work out you can tell me ‘I told you so’, okay?” </p><p>He laughs, “Yeah okay, that seems like the best price I can get out of it. Getting a one up on a doctor.”</p><p>I laugh as well.</p><p>“So we’ll go to the C.D.C., that’s decided?” Rick asks</p><p>“Yep,” I say, “As long as everyone else up for that?”</p><p>“I’m gonna follow where the doctor goes, you sir are very valuable,” Glenn says, getting a laugh from me and nods from everyone else. Morales looked torn as if he knew something.</p><p>“Morales?” He turns to me, gulping.</p><p>“We’re, uh… we’re… we’re not going”</p><p>His wife comes over, “We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people.”</p><p>Shane looks at them both, “You’ll be on your own, no one to watch your back.”</p><p>“We’ll take the chance, I got to do what’s best for my family,” Morales says back, his family nodding behind him. </p><p>“If you’re sure Morales, just watch out for those kids,” I say to him, my heart dropping at the thought of them being on their own especially with the kids.</p><p>“357?” Rick asks him after a moment.</p><p>“Yeah,” Morales answers, Rick grabs a gun and Shane grabs ammo, understanding easily what Rick was doing. Even now I could see that after they finally talked through their shit that was left sitting in the air for too long to be healthy for any friendship, or relationship for that matter.</p><p>“The box is half full,” Shane says to him.</p><p>“Thank you all… for everything,” Miranda says to us, I smile and hug her.</p><p>“Be safe, and watch those children. You never what might happen out there, and this world is too dangerous for them to be alone in any capacity anymore,” I say to her, she squeezes me tight.</p><p>“Our kids are going to miss you the most I think,” Miranda says, “I promise I’ll watch them, I won’t let them die or end up alone.”</p><p>“Good luck to all of you,” Shane says, Lori stands crossing her arms but nods.</p><p>“We’ll miss you all,” Lori says, she never did like how close I was able to become with the other woman.</p><p>“We appreciate it,” Morales says smiling, almost in tears.</p><p>“Yeah,” Shane, nods and pats him on the back.</p><p>The kids go and hug their goodbyes as well, Miranda move to hug Jacqui and some of the other woman. I curl in on myself slightly, too many goodbyes I had ended with never seeing people again, at least not seeing them alive. Tears formed in my eyes as Eliza gave Sophia her doll. </p><p>“Channel 40 if you change your minds. All right?” Rick says to Morales, sniffling.</p><p>“Yeah,” Morales nods to Rick, all their stuff already packed and ready to go.</p><p> </p><p>Trying to blink away the tears as Coral holds Sophia against her now as Morales and his family all leave, Shane walks back over to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders as he waves the family off. I look up at him and smile, biting my lip and wave them off as well now. </p><p>“Let’s just hope our chances are just as good as theirs are,” Shane says to the group, “Let’s get going maybe we’ll make it to the C.D.C in a couple of days.”</p><p>I almost trip over my feet as he turns with his arm still over me, but catch myself laughing, all of us finishing our own packing to get in the vehicles ready. The entire time Shane helped me out enduring the Dixon brother’s slight glares. Feeling glares on me as we loaded my and Shanes' stuff up in his car along with the Dixon’s since most of it was mixed with mine anyway.</p><p>After a while, we all finally got on the road. Dale heads everyone in his RV, Jacqui, Jim, Glenn all in it, Jacqui and Jim in the back. Rick drives a car with Lori next to him, Sophia and Carl in the back with Carol, all right behind Dale. Shane, Daryl, and me in his car, Daryl in the back with the things that wouldn’t fit in the trunk, behind Rick. T-Dog’s car with Andrea, Amy and him behind us and Merle on his motorcycle in the back. </p><p>En route to the C.D.C., we all come to a halt. I look over to Shane, “It’s probably nothing too serious,” I say to him anxiously.</p><p>“Maybe let’s get out and check, Daryl you coming with?” Shane asks.</p><p>He grunts but heads out of the car with us. I take the chance to stand and stretch as we walk over to the RV. </p><p>Rick and Dale were already out and talking as we walked up.</p><p>“I told you we’d never get far. I said I needed the one from the cube van,” Dale says shaking his head as he looks over the busted hose.</p><p>“Can you jury-rig it?” Rick asks him, hands on his hips.</p><p>“That’s all it’s been so far. It’s more duct tape than hose. And I’m out of duct tape.”</p><p>“Me and Harry can look up ahead. Might find a gas station if we’re lucky,” Shane says.</p><p>Nodding I add, “Yea maybe some more duct tape, add some more to the percentage of hose to duct tape for you.”</p><p> </p><p>The two of us head back to his car, everyone else sticking around the cars. Getting in the passenger seat as Shane gets in the front seat we start driving past everyone who moves out of the way. </p><p>“You know I’m really happy Rick came here, sure he may have negatively affected the whole supply run in the beginning, but he did go back and get the guns. We’re better armed and personally I like you more when you’re not with Lori,” I say while watching out the windows of the car for any RV’s parked and abandoned or a gas station.</p><p>“Yeah?” Shane looks over at me for a second.</p><p>“She’s a twat, no offense, did absolutely no work and it brought you down too. She’s trying to play you hard even now that Rick is here. Guilty over it, heck I’m surprised Carl is alive with how she left him to just explore on his own all the time.”</p><p>“I guess, Rick wasn’t too happy to hear what happened. But he was glad that I told him, too much crying for grown men,” Shane laughs.</p><p>“Hey, crying is good for people. I enjoy a good cry every once in a while,” I cross my arms and playfully glare at him.</p><p>He laughs more, “You know what I’m really glad I’m not with Lori anymore, I get to hang around you more. Lori hated if I went near you or any other girl in the camp.”</p><p>“None of the other dudes? Just me?” I ask, curious.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re definitely more attractive and feminine than any other of the males there at the camp. Definitely my type, and she knew it,” I turned and looked at him, my mouth slightly agape.</p><p>“Shit look,” Shane says excitedly, “There’s an RV, let’s check it out. You watch my back.”</p><p>I nod as he parks the car and we get out, knife ready as he checks the RV for the hose. I hear a noise coming from behind me, turning around swiftly I try to calm myself as I see a walker coming towards me slowly. Kicking out one of its knees as it was taller than me by a considerable amount, the knife now in its head with more ease than it would have been without doing so.</p><p>“You good?” Shane asks, turning around with a hose in hand now.</p><p>“Yeah it was just one walker, nothing I can’t handle,” I yank out my knife from its head and wipe it off before putting it away, “Let’s head back, don’t want to waste any daylight.”</p><p>“Yeah,” He walks back with me, driving back seeing everyone sitting on their hands basically waiting for us. </p><p>“So you two get something that’ll work?” Dale asks walking up to the car window.</p><p>“Yeah here,” I say handing him the hose, “We should be able to get going now.”</p><p>“Yeah just give me a second to attach this and throw out the old one,” Dale smiles at us and heads to his RV, “EVERYONE GET IN THE CARS AND READY TO GO!”</p><p>I cringe slightly at the yelling, “God what is with people and yelling.”</p><p>Shane chuckles, putting a hand on my thigh, “It’s an effective way of communicating to everyone fast.”</p><p>I blush and turn away from him, Daryl getting in the back of the car as Shane removes his hand from my thigh.</p><p> </p><p>We finally arrive at the C.D.C building, the car ride with Shane heavy with tension. Him growing bolder with his comments. Daryl seemed to glare at him the entire time. I look around the building and surrounding area that was covered with dead bodies, swarmed with flies, the heat not helping the smell any. </p><p>We all park and head out of the vehicles. Walking up with Rick in the front, everyone who knew how to use guns armed and ready.</p><p>“Come on everyone, keep going,” Shane and Rick say, encouraging the few that were slowing down to speed up. Sun setting, a group as big as ours didn’t have good chances out in the middle of the city.</p><p>Finally, at the building, anxiety fills my chest. It was completely locked down.</p><p>“Keep it together,” Shane says to everyone who is freaking out just like me. Though they were probably freaking out for different reasons. For one, I couldn’t let these people die out here, not when I agreed to the plan. Saving them most likely would require magic if it gets bad.</p><p>Lori calms Carl, surprising me that he was actually being watched.</p><p>“Nothing?” Shane questions, pounding on the door.</p><p>“Shane, come on don’t be loud we don’t know how many walkers are around,” I say quietly to him, biting down on my lip. This was a totally different area, that was open unlike where we usually did supply runs, there was no way of hiding magic if needed.</p><p>“There’s nobody here,” T-Dog says, obviously freaking out.</p><p>“Then why are these shutters down?” Rick asks T-Dog.</p><p>“Walkers!” Daryl suggests, mirth in his voice. Merle laughs at it.</p><p>“Look at that Officer friendly killed us all,” Merle continues to laugh.</p><p>“Merle-” I start, Shane, walking over to him.</p><p>“No one’s dying even if this wasn’t the best decision. It was one of our only reasonable ones.”</p><p>“Baby, come on,” Lori, tries to bring Rick away from the building so we could head back.</p><p>He continues to stare at the camera on the building front. Daryl shoots a walker making everyone jump. </p><p>“Fuck,” I say under my breath as I get out my knife.</p><p>“You led us into a fucking graveyard!” Daryl yells angrily.</p><p>“He made a call!” Shane yells back, as they start to butt heads.</p><p>“Daryl, Shane stop it!” I finely yell, “We needed to leave, we gave this a shot we can just leave and figure something else out.”</p><p>“Where are we gonna go?” Jacqui asks.</p><p>“She’s right, we can’t be here, this close to the city after dark,” Lori adds.</p><p>“Fort Benning? Rick… It’s still an option,” Shane suggests huffing as he stands behind me watching for more walkers.</p><p>“On what? No food, no fuel. That's 100 miles,” Andrea says, I nod along surprised something ration came out of her mouth once again. Character development people.</p><p>“125. I checked the map,” Glenns adds, looking at her and Shane, eyes bouncing between them and in turn me. Shane was worked up just like the rest of us and now holding on to my arm with a tight grip, but not too tight so I let it be. </p><p>“Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight, now,” Lori exasperates, moving closer to Rick ready to pull him back to the vehicles if need be as Walkers started showing up from behind buildings a few feet away from us.</p><p>“We'll think of something,” Rick says, still looking at the building.</p><p>“Come on, let's go. Let's get out of here. Let's go. Please,” Shane pleads with him, his anger seeming to dissipate for pity almost, we all wanted this to work out even if he himself thought it wouldn’t.</p><p>Rick seems to catch sight of the security camera's movement. That I saw too, shocked at the sight, the groan of a walker getting too close drawing my attention. Whipping out my pistol I keep on me and shooting it in the head.</p><p>“All right, everybody back to the cars. Let's go. Move,” Shane directs, I start to move with him away from the building and towards our vehicles.</p><p>“The camera… it moved,” Rick whispers almost, astonished to everyone.</p><p>“You imagined it”</p><p>“It moved. It moved.”</p><p>“Rick, it is dead, man. It's an automated device. It's geared, okay? They're just winding down. Now come on,” Shane tries to convince Rick again getting no response, “Man, just listen to me. Look around this place. It's dead, okay? It's dead. You need to let it go, Rick.”</p><p>Rick slams on the shutters. </p><p>“Rick, there's nobody here!” Lori yells at him. </p><p>“I know you're in there. I know you can hear me,” Rick pleads to what either could be a very cruel person or a ghost in his head.</p><p>Shane tries to drag him away, with the help of Lori. </p><p>“Everybody get back to the cars now!” Shane yells again, I hold onto Carl’s hand seeing him alone, now that Lori is trying desperately to not have Rick die from this desperation we were all feeling.</p><p>“Please, we're desperate. Please help us. We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left.”</p><p>“Rick. There's nobody here,” She tries again.</p><p>“We have nowhere else to go!” Rick pounds on the door, scaring us all in the craze of it. Pure desperation showing its ugly side. </p><p>“Keep your eyes open. If you don't let us in, you're killing us! Please!”</p><p>“Come on, buddy, let's go. Let's go,” Shane tries to plead with him again. </p><p>“Please help us. You're killing us! You're killing us! You're killing us!”</p><p>Shane finally gets a good hold of Rick as we start to walk away, killing any of the few walkers that were getting closer behind them looking for a meal. Sadly we were on the menu it seemed. I was ready to grab my wand out of my boot then and there. Before we could get much further we all heard a loud noise of the door opening behind us. Everyone turned around as light floods our vision from the open door.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>All comments, critics, opinions, ideas, praises, etc. are welcome and encouraged. I do reply to most every single comment with a bit too much enthusiasm.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Alcohol, Viruses, and Explosions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally finished, at 5000+ words. I'm very proud of this chapter, it was quite the ride to write. Hope you all enjoy the hard work I put in!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>We all stood there in front of the open doorway, the light shining on them all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daryl, you cover the back,” Shane directs, and Daryl despite their fight listens, Merle following his brother for back up as they protect the group from incoming walkers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello? Hello?” Rick yells, as the group heads in, Daryl and Merle last, I keep Carl close to me as we enter, Sophia with her mom safe as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Close those doors. Watch for walkers,” Dale says quietly to the group receiving nods. Anyone who is armed has their weapons ready. As we walk into the building we enter the lobby, looking around it’s completely empty. No bodies or anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” Rick tries again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A man stands in the doorway, a rifle in hand. I hold Carl tighter and step behind Shane, who knows who this man is and what he could do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anybody infected?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None that are still alive,” I say, remembering that Carol’s husband was killed and eaten by a walker the previous night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yea, we had a group of walkers sneak up on us in the night,” Rick adds to explain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you here? What do you want?” He asks Rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A chance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s asking an awful lot these days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks us all up and down, “You all submit to a blood test. That’s the price of admission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can do that,” Rick says quickly, despite the hesitation of some.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lowers his weapon, “You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes it stays closed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a collective non-verbal agreement as we all run in through the doors and follow Jenner into an elevator. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here,” He says aloud, assumingly to AI, “Dr. Edwin Jenner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doctors always go around packing heat like that?” Daryl asks him, I glare at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” I say, crossing my arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a doctor?” Jenner asks me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Harry Potter, I just don’t work in a place like this. General surgeon you could say, I deal with all types of illnesses and injuries. I also pack ‘heat’, Daryl” I say turning to Daryl afterward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I have this since well there were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you all look harmless enough,” He says before turning towards Carl who was still huddled next to me, “Except you, I’ll have to keep my eye on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carl laughs and smiles back at the doctor making him chuckle along. When it all dies down he looks away and the smile on his face dies. A look I know all too well, this man must’ve lost a lot of patients in this place, probably looking for a cure for this disease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, we get out of the elevator being led through a hallway, lit up by little underground lights. It was cool too, indicating that they were underground. It made me feel a bit more comforted knowing that there was no way the walkers were getting down here and we were safe for the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we underground?” Carol asks Dr.Jenner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you claustrophobic?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try not to think about it,” He says as we enter a large darkened space where I could only assume he had been in before we were here. Looking like a workstation for his notes and other things for the cure I’d assume.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vi, bring up the lights in the big room. Welcome to zone 5,” Dr. Jenner says to us all turning to face us as he walks ahead a little bit to put space between us. Arms out indicating that this was zone 5.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is everybody? The other doctors, the staff?” Rick questions the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m it. It’s just me here,” He replies with a sad look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?” Lori asks him, I look over and just try to suppress the rude thoughts that were begging to come out of my mouth. Softly reminding myself that not everyone has seen some of the newer technologies in the world. Heck the only reason I knew about them was because of my high clearance in Britain with and their clinical trials and such. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them… welcome,” Dr. Jenner says to the AI.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, guests. Welcome,” Vi says in her robotic voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m all that’s left. I’m sorry,” He says taking Andrea’s blood for a sample, me after the last to have it taken. Having trouble finding a vein on my arm but eventually gets it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the point? If we were infected, we’d all be running a fever,” Andrea asks him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve already broken every rule in the book letting you in here. Let me just at least be thorough. All done,” He says putting a band-aid on my arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh,” Getting up from the spot next to me, almost falling over. I catch her and help her back down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” He asks with worry written all over his face. Empathy, how odd with a scientist, especially with the recent loss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She- we all haven’t eaten in days,” I say, what food we had before wasn’t lasting and I couldn’t pull out anything from my stash without questions on why I was withholding the supplies from the group. I wouldn’t be able to explain how I have as much as I do and how I was able to bring it all even. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Generosity was Dr. Jenner’s middle name today, all of us eating pasta and wine. I cooked it up for everyone with the available ingredients. Mostly for him, no one should have to cook after the kindness of saving this many lives. Who knows what could have happened with that many walkers. Even I was ready to maybe expose my magic just to keep them alive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Lori says to Rick, as they argued playfully on whether to allow Carl to try the wine or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner, and in France,” Dale says boisterously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then,” She says and I smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s it gonna hurt? Come on. Come on,” Rick pesters on slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Carl asks, confused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dale grabs a glass with barely anything in the glass, “there you are, young lad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carl looks at it curiously before drinking it, spitting it out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my boy. That’s my boy. Good boy,” She says, showing just how tipsy she was getting. There were way too many people drinking in the room for me to be comfortable at this point especially with how much Shane was drinking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuck. That tastes nasty,” Carl says, his face cringing up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, just stick to soda pop there, bud,” Shane says, ruffling his hair. I blush slightly, I always liked how much he cared for Carl. The more I look back at the past three months the more I see in how his behavior has been affected by this whole thing and the stress of losing his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not you, Glenn,” Daryl says to Glenn who had put down his glass not noticing it wasn’t him who was being addressed before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep drinking, little man. I want to see how red your face can get,” Daryl says, “You too Harry, haven’t even had a sip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Really?” Shane says leaning forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look down, and just play with my food, “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that just won’t do,” He says and reaches over the table to get a glass and a bottle, pouring me my own, “there, just one glass please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look around, “I really don’t drink like at all,” I say, “too many bad experiences.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine Harry, you don’t have to drink,” Jacqui says brushing Shane off slightly to try and make him back off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, we don’t know when the next time this type of thing will be available. Live it up a little.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look at him, “Okay just the one though, but that better be your last then. You are already getting to the point of a drunkard who's going to be thrown out of a bar,” I shake my head with a small smile as I sip on the wine Shane poured for me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems to me we haven’t thanked our host properly,” Rick announces seemingly out of nowhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is more than just our host,” T-dog adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hear Hear!,” Dale lifts his glass to Dr.Jenner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here’s to you, Doc. Booyah!” Daryl joins his glass with the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Booyah!” Dale goes with it, making me giggle and lift my glass to the toast as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“SO when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc? All the-” I hit Shane’s arm giving him a look, not deterring it him at all with the question, “the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re celebrating, Shane. Don’t need to do this now,” Rick tells him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa, wait a second. This is why we’re here, right? This was-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shane! Stop please, I know you didn’t want to come here, but at least it worked out,” I say to him, “Save it for the morning, when you’re not drunk and more in your right mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Dr. Jenner says to everyone, looking Shane in the eyes, “When things got bad, a lot of people just left, went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every last one?” He asks Dr. Jenner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, many couldn’t face walking out the door. They opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t leave, why?” Andrea asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just kept working, hoping to do some good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, you are such a buzzkill, man” Glenn whines to Shane, I laugh and continue to drink from my glass before Dr. Jenner stands up. everyone essentially done with the food and only adding to their blood alcohol levels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to show everyone the rest of the living quarters before we’re a bit too drunk to pay attention,” Dr. Jenner says with a blank face, leading us on another tour.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most of the facility is powered down including housing so you'll have to make do here. The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games, okay? Or anything that draws power. The same applies—if you shower, go easy on the hot water,” He explains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hot water?” Glenn asks with a gleefully curious look, wondering if he heard Jenner correctly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what the man said,” T-Dog replies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A hot shower sounds amazing,” I added with a smile on my face, “That quarry only cleaned so well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My sentiments were met with nods from the rest of the group who could agree. We all smelled kind of rank, some more than others.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone headed to the showers, except Shane who went back to the kitchen/dining area. I tried to put that thought out of my head and head to the showers myself, mostly just wanted a hot shower. Something I only got to enjoy regularly for 13 years out of the 30 I have lived and that is just too low for my liking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After I make my way out of showers I see Glenn who’s looking through the hallways, all the guns laying around. Hopefully, Sophia and Carl were told not to touch them, I think to myself. Teddy knew not to touch my wand or any of the knives in the kitchen but not all parents were as cautious as me. 17 years of your life spent in fear does that to a person, but being overly cautious does have certain perks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Glenn,” I say, waving to him. The shower seemed to do him a lot of good for sobering up some.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Harry, I was thinking this place has to have tons of supplies with just Jenner being here these past three months. You wanna help me gather it all up?” Glenn asks me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, that sounds like a good plan. I have a feeling we won’t be staying here long term,” I say to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finding bags in one of the closets we gather up all the supplies we could gather. Guns, ammo, food, medicine, ect. There was tons of stuff in this place, it was a gold mine. It surprised me that Dr. Jenner stayed even with the power reserves getting lower and lower. Britain's PHE, the equivalent of the US CDC, was set to explode in case the power ever went out. Too many diseases and viruses could get out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” I say out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it, Harry?” Glenn asks me as we finish up, leaving enough food to cook in the morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what happens when a building filled with diseases and viruses, all the things the government is either making or trying to understand and make vaccines for goes out of power?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It explodes, and I don’t know how much time this place has. But I don’t think we should stick around after tomorrow morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you say anything before?” He asks me, a look of disbelief coming across his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t think about it, I just didn’t want Shane and Rick to get in a fight over where we were going and this was closer. Let’s just hope there’s enough time for us to get out tomorrow, I mean he wouldn’t bring people into their deathbed would he?” I ask Glenn, wanting some form of comfort over the topic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so Harry, I hope so. God let’s just head to bed and ask the doctor tomorrow,” Glenn says, walking off before calling back, “If this is our last night it was nice meeting you, Harry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking through the now-empty hallways I see Shane heading out of the shower, a half-empty bottle of alcohol in his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus, Shane, how pissed are you?” I say to him, he stumbles and turns to look at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Drunk, how drunk are you Shane?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” He continues to stare at me, “very.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shake my head, “Let’s get you to bed okay?” I take his hand in mine, grabbing the bottle from his other one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making our way to an empty room with a cot, I helped him with getting on it. Turning around I find a blanket on a shelf in the room, reaching up I grab it and put it over Shane. Who at this point was docile and let me take care of him as he did for me the night before we left the quarry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sit on the bed and smile at him, “Goodnight Shane,” I say before kiss his cheek and getting up only to be grabbed by the waist and pulled back down, this time laying beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay, please,” He slurs out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If this was anyone else I would freak out, I hated to be touched like that yet it didn’t send me into a panic. It didn’t like my skin crawling, I’m not reliving the horrible memories I usually do with almost any physically intimate touch. Maybe it was a sign or maybe I was just tipsy. Either way, I felt safe, even if the certain eventual explosion of the C.D.C..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was one more night cuddled up to Shane, it felt nice, it felt right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” I mumbled as I got under the blanket, basically laying half on his chest so we could both have some of the blanket.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Waking up to see Shane still asleep I got up quietly, looking to make sure he was really asleep. I waved my hand and whispered, “Tempus,” it was only 5 am. I groan to myself but go back to the kitchen cooking up breakfast for when everyone gets up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Using what was not only already there but some of the scavenged things I grabbed the past three months. Setting the table with the food, pancakes, waffles, and eggs. Putting out a bottle of syrup I then got started on mixing a hangover potion into the two drinks, milk, and orange juice. It wouldn’t have any negative effects on anyone who hadn’t drunk so it was safe for the kids as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As I’m finishing putting out forks and knives for the meal the first people wander in, that being Glenn and T-dog. Both rubbing their heads, I snort a little to myself, glad I only had one glass of wine. Dale walks in afterward everyone settling down and pouring themselves drinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I put a little hangover cure in both the milk and orange juice, little something I learned how to make during my apprenticeship for medicine,” I say to them, “It’s also safe for the kids, won’t affect them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Harry, being our little lifesaver again,” Glenn declares, making me smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other two nod in agreement, “So you gonna sit and eat with us?” Dale asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh- yeah, sorry old habits,” I say sitting down next to Glenn plating some food for myself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Old habits?” T-dog asks me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More used to just cooking, not eating,” I ignore the looks of worry, “How much longer do you think it’ll take the rest of the group to come out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d give it a couple of minutes probably, I kinda tripped and made quite a bit of noise while getting up,” Glenn blushes and rubs the back of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I laugh, “At least the food won’t go cold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh nice, who made food,” Lori asks as she comes in with Carl next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry did,” Dale answers for me as I’m chewing a bit of my food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t say anything else, just sits down, Carl follows but says thanks to me. Jacqui comes in and says thanks as well, continuing until everyone but Shane, Rick, and Dr. Jenner. I was mostly tempted to go find Shane and Dr. Jenner. Shane for obvious reasons and Jenner for even more obvious reasons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello,” Rick groans out as he walks in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning,” Dale greets him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carl looks up to his dad as he walks to sit next to him and Lori, “Are you hungover? Mom said you’d be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick laughs a little, “Mom is right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom has that annoying habit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I try really hard not to laugh at the thought that she thinks she’s right enough for that to be a habit. I finish my last bite of the pancake I was eating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The milk and orange juice have a hangover cure in them,” I let him know and get up from my seat, “I’m gonna go see if Shane is okay, he was really drunk last night.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick is already pouring himself a drink of orange juice, “Okay, also thanks for the hangover cure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile back at him and go to walk through the doorway hitting something solid as I do, almost falling over, only being held up by strong arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah there, gotta watch where you’re going sweet cheeks,” Shane says with a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blush a bright red, “Um- I was about to go check on you, I have some hangover cure in the milk and orange juice,” I try to say, pushing down the stutter unsuccessfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirks at me and helps me steady myself on my feet, walking us back to the table arm over my shoulder. Lori was openly glaring at me now, Carl seemed to just be oblivious and everyone else didn’t seem to care. Although Merle and Daryl were glaring at Shane with eyes that read, “If you hurt him you die,” Glenn on the other hand was too busy stuffing his face with the food to notice it yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he looks up I feel the cogs turning in his head, “So are you two dating?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I gulp and just sit still not knowing what to say, me and Shane had just been flirting the past week almost. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm? Not yet,” Shane says and I blush more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deciding to switch the topic now I look at Glenn with a serious look, “So me and Glenn were clearing out the place last night, guns, ammo, meds, food, everything we could. And- well I remember something about the protocol for when a building like the C.D.C. one we’re in is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick looks over at me, “What is the protocol?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At Least in the UK, it means the building explodes, too many diseases could get out, too many weaponized diseases at that. I doubt it’s much different here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you say anything sooner!” Lori yells at me, a worried look on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He just like us wanted everything to calm down, not having Rick and Shane fighting after all the loss we faced. We survived the night but everyone should get their fill on breakfast because we’re leaving as soon as we talk to Jenner about this protocol thing,” Glenn answers for me, not liking how quick she was to attack me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I understood, I let Rick lead us here. Putting not only the kids but the whole group at risk. I’d be angry too if it was Teddy here with me. I try to calm myself and stop thinking about Teddy, remembering that he’s out there all alone without me, not knowing if he was dead or alive or a walker was terrifying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, what are you all talking about?” Dr. Jenner asks to stop all the commotion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When will this place blow? It can’t have much power left,” Shane asks aggressively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do yo-” He tries to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a doctor, I spent some time at the P.H.E., you had to know the basic protocols in case any of the disasters we were supposed to be ready for were to ever happen. I just forgot about that when we decided to come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighs, “You were wondering why I stayed right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” I say in a huff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show you all, questions can be answered after I show what I need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me show you all this please, so you can understand why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, everyone, getting up and following him to the big screen in the big room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me playback of TS-19,” Dr. Jenner says to Vi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Playback of TS-19”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very Few.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The oversized display showed varying 3-D views of human skills.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a brain?” Carl asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An extraordinary one. Not that it matters in the end. Take us in for E.I.V.,” Dr. Jenner says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enhanced Internal view.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The image on the screen changes to show the upper shoulders and head of the subject. The screen skews to a horizontal view then increases the magnification. Becoming more and more detailed, showing the inside of the skull, appearing to be lit with bright blue threads of energy. Some areas are denser with light than others but there are lighted threads throughout the skull. The detail zooms in until the threads become closer and pulses of light can be distinguished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are those lights?” Shane asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's a person's life—experiences, memories. It's everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light is you—the thing that makes you unique and human</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don't make sense ever?” Daryl complains, Merle nodding agreement with his brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Synapses. Electric impulses in the brain, carrying all the messages, determining everything a person does or thinks from the time of birth to the moment of death,” I say before Jenner can. He looks over a bit in shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Death? That’s what this is, a vigil?” Rick asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This person died? Who?” Andrea asks a look of sadness over her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Test subject 19. Someone who was bitten and infected… and volunteered to have us record the process. VI, Scan forward to the first event,” Dr. Jenner answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scanning to first event.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The screen shows a message “Scanning Forward”, the brain now has lights still flickering in the outer areas but the center has become dark as if black roots were growing inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that?” Glenn asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs. Then death. Everything you ever were or ever will be… gone,” I look to Dr. Jenner, the look of pain and grief showing clear as day on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> I start to tear up, thinking of the people that were killed yesterday, only glad they didn’t have to go through this. Dr. Jenner stares openly at me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We all lost people a couple of days ago, too many people,” I say, to answer the look of questioning, “I don’t even know if my godson Teddy is alive, I hope he is one of them though. I don’t want that for him”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I lost somebody too, I know how devastating it is,” He looks at the screen only now, “Scan to the second event.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scanning to second event.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The resurrection times vary wildly. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient it was two hours, one minute… seven seconds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A red glow flickers at the base of the brain. The rest remains dark. Random sparks shoot out into the larger area of the brain but no further lights grow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It restarts the brain?” Lori questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving,” Dr. Jenner responds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But they’re not alive?” Rick looks confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dr. Jenner gestures at the screen, “You tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick shakes his head sadly, “It’s nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dark, lifeless, dead. The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part—that doesn’t come back. They you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The subject moves, its mouth opens and closes. The head moves side to side, the shoulders move as if the arms were being lifted. The barrel of a gun appears at the forehead pointing down. A bullet enters the brain and tears through the red cluster of embers. The brain goes completely dark, the subject stops moving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God. What was that?” Carol asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone shot the patient in the head, the only way to kill the walkers,” I answered her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“VI, Power down the main screen and the workstations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Jenner, all this time 3 months, and I’m guessing you know nothing of what this thing is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal,” Dr. Jenner lists off possibilities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or the wrath of God?” Jacqui adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is that,” Dr. Jenner replies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Somebody must know something. Somebody somewhere,” Andrea tries to ration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are others, right? Other facilities?” Carol adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I knew the answer, Dr. Jenner knew it too. What happened here probably happened anywhere. Diseases like these take time to study, take time to figure out what to do. Time that nobody had, time that was already expired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There may be some. People like me,” He lies to the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you don’t know? How can you not know?” Rick asks angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything went down. Communications, directives—all of it. I’ve been in the dark for almost a month.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it’s not just here. There’s nothing left anywhere? Nothing? That’s what you’re really saying, right?” Andrea says to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus,” Jacqui says looking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It usually takes years to develop vaccines for diseases. The flu vaccine took nearly 3 decades to be licensed in America. There was no time, was there Dr. Jenner, not enough, and too many people dying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, I look at him, “That clock, that’s the countdown isn’t it?” He nods again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck! Everyone we need to get out now!” I say, “Glenn, grab the bags.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dr. Jenner sits down at a desk looking at a photograph of a woman, “I did the best I could in the time that I had. I hope you’d be proud of that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can she?” I say to him angrily, “You locked innocent people down here. People who want to keep going.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We always think there’s gonna be more time, then it runs out,” He ignores me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jenner, what’s happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power it’s designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark. Right on schedule,” Dr. Jenner says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jenner, doctor to doctor, you have to let us out, have to let us make the choice of going on further. To give us a shot, even if it's slim to none, even if you disagree.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ 30 minutes to decontamination.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jenner! You have to let us out! Let us out for your wife. That’s your wife, right? Would she ever do this to people who were willing to live?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…” He says, “Why do you all want to keep going, and death out there will be ten times as painful as this. This is quick, painless, you can just sit and sip some good alcohol.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dr. Jenner gets up ready to scan his ID and lock us in. Sighing at himself he let his arm drop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have twenty-eight minutes to get out,” He says, “Anyone who wants to stay is welcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slouches back down into his seat taking a swig of alcohol and holds up the picture of his wife. Glenn arrives back and hands people bags to carry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get going everyone,” I say rushing out through the hallway, making sure everyone got into the elevator. Everything was going to be locked up there already, but we’d find a way out in the time we had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look to see Jacqui sitting down next to Jenner. Making her choice, T-Dog trying to talk her out of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“T-DOG IT’S HER CHOICE LET HER GO!” I yell to him, She yells at him to go as well finally making him run over. The second he’s in I hit the elevator button. Bringing us up the ground floor we rush to the doors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>T-Dog and Daryl banging against them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get the doors open!” Shane yells trying to look around and find something to open them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I bite my lip, I couldn’t let us get stuck here. Not when I allowed us to get trapped, “I have an idea!” I yell walking over to the door, “I’ll explain what I’m about to do later, we really don’t have the time right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I take out my wand, looks of confusion appear on everyone's faces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alohomora,” I say, swishing my wand in a familiar way I’d done many times in school. Pushing the door open I sigh in relief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What-” Shane starts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just go! Shane, the buildings going to blow up if we waste time on this right now.” I say to him and hold the door open for everyone to get out running to the cars that were still parked where we left them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hurriedly we put the bags of stuff we gathered in the RV and get in our cars. Driving away as the Building explodes leaving our ears ringing as it does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shane drives the car we took before, Daryl in the back seat, me in shotgun-like before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You got a lot of explaining to do sweet cheeks,” Shane says looking over to me for a second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will, I promise."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always any comments, kudos, critics, ideas, ect. are welcome and loved. Any ideas definitely help the chapters move along faster, this one was definitely helped out by a few commenters who mentioned wanting harry to gather supplies from the C.D.C., which I also wanted, so thank you!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Magic for Dummies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ummmmm I wrote this so quick this time, and it only uses a basic outline of canon in it. So I'm pretty damn happy, hope Y'ALL love it lol. Sorry, I had to, I wrote y'all more times than I ever thought I would. Hope you all enjoy the back to back update I just did!!!!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first stop we take I dreaded getting out of the car wanting to just stay in my seat for the rest of forever. Unveiling magic like that was risky but seeing as I hadn’t gotten an owl on my ass the ministry of magic has probably fallen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shane?” I say looking at him, the stress and worry showing on my face like it was written out with a red marker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubs his face and pulls me close to him for a hug, “I don’t hate you, okay? This is just a surprise, and I think everyone can agree with me when I say we just want to know what was and what more you can do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod against his chest, taking a deep break. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You good now? Ready to explain this?” He asks me, I nod again moving out of the hug reluctantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess we’re gonna need a new nickname for ya brit,” Merle says walking up behind me, “What ya think Darlena?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daryl glares at Merle for a second before looking at me, “I don’t know, can you fly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um- yes technically,” I responded confused by the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merle says an evil glint appears in Merle’s eyes, “I got it! Tinkerbell, that’s your nickname, no take-backs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I openly gape, “Is this cause I’m small?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merle just smirks and the others walk over to where we’re standing on the side of the road. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… We gonna get some answers now?” Rick asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I- it’s a really long story,” I start, “I’m a wizard, I can do magic, I can heal people, charm them, hex them, curse them, etc.-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hex? Curse?!” Lori interrupts, “Have you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” I interrupt her back, “I would never, I’ve only used spells like that a few times in my life and mostly when I was younger and dumber than I am now. I’m a healer, aka a doctor that was never a lie just to let you all know that. Just not in the most classical way, I have potions and spells to help with procedures muggles can’t do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Muggles?” Jim asks, surprising me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, non-magic users. Though some people are squibs, people who are born from at least one magic using people who don’t have magical cores or very small unusable ones. I suspect you’re one actually, with the visions you were having. You might be a seer, which you wouldn’t need very much magic to use.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods in fascination, “So I’m not crazy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I laugh, “No I don’t think so at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tinkerbell back to the ‘splaining,” Merle says, no real aggression in his voice despite his wording. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right sorry, what else do you all want to know?” I ask rubbing my arm softly out of anxiety, still not able to tell who thought what about me yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are mermaids real?” Amy asks, an excited look on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “Yeah, there’s tons of magical questions, though you might be a bit disappointed in what real mermaids look like compared to your necklace. I have some books you can borrow, I’ll need to get them out of my trunk later- Oh that reminds me, um, we actually have tons of supplies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Shane asks me, making me turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- um, well I started stockpiling every little thing in my bags and trunk on runs. I can do extension charms and statis charms to keep certain things fresh if need be with them. I just didn’t know how to get it all back without everyone questioning it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you just tell us?” Glenn asks me, the slightest look of betrayal on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The magical world has a government, with that comes rules and laws. One of which is the statue of secrecy, keeping witches and wizards from telling muggles about the magical world. I didn’t know if the magical world had fallen, and I couldn’t leave by the time everyone joined especially with the children. I would hate myself if I left and they got hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So has it? Has your magical government fallen?” Dale asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, tearing up slightly, turning away from everyone. At this point, I basically knew for sure that Teddy was probably dead. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but with the wizarding world probably decimated and Andromeda getting as old as she was it was the most likely answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Shane asks me softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just um-” Tears start to stream down my face, “Teddy’s probably dead, my godson is most likely dead. I left him there, I was just going to let myself settle down here for a couple of months before having his grandmother bring him out here. I left my baby boy, Shane, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get to hug him, or kiss his forehead like I use to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubs my back, “Hey do you know for sure he’s dead?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shake my head no, “Then you can’t say he’s dead. For all you know he’s on his way over now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile a little, “You don’t have to lie to me,” I quietly whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not, with a dad like you he must be just as resourceful,” Shane says, pulling me against him, twisting my body around so I could hide in his chest. Right in front of everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“STOP TOUCHING THAT MONSTER!” Lori screams, and just like that, the moment was over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori?” Rick looks over at her in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I try to push away from Shane, unable to, being kept in place by his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No Lori, why are you acting like this?” Shane says, I was unable to see his face but I could hear the tone of his voice clear as day. He was angry at her, defensive of me, something I wasn’t used to, and it all was coming from him. Someone who should feel betrayed, I lied to them all, withhold supplies we needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He kept so much from us, food, supplies, the fact that he has magic?! How do we know anything he’s saying is true, he probably sold his soul to the devil!” Lori screams, Rick having to hold her back from trying to come over to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He only wanted to keep us safe, what good would he have been if he was picked up by his people for exposing magic if they had still been up and running?” Shane defended me once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, little Tinkerbell over here has saved us plenty of times,” Merle adds, “Saved my strung out ass from a damn roof on a building that was surrounded with zombies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He saved me from getting bitten and killed at the camp. I would have been dead without Harry,” Amy says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He stopped me from going absolutely crazy back at camp,” Jim steps in front of me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I started to tear up, “Shane, you can let go now,” I whisper, he let me go then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I wiped my eyes of the tears that were threatening to fall, “Yes I withheld something very big about my life, something that I couldn’t share yet. There are lots more where that came from but 3 months ago we were strangers, all of us. But I still did everything I could to limit the deaths, and I still have things I can’t speak about and don’t have to. I’m not the only one who was lying to people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mouth closes and a look of pure anger comes over her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I kept things to myself that hurt every second to keep but I knew that if I told and the ministry of magic came for me I’d hate myself, and leave you all exposed to even more dangers that I didn’t know for sure you’d come out alive after. Why’d you keep your little secret?” I ask her vindictively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick interrupts her, “I know Lori, Shane told me what you two were doing before I appeared, and how you treated him after. He tried to give me every chance of living if I woke up. Barricaded my door, left me a gun, he tried to save me, and he kept you and our child safe. Harry kept our child safe, even when I appeared and he and Sophia almost got killed by walkers because you weren’t watching them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He always had my back when we went on runs,” Glenn states afterward, “Saved me plenty as well, made sure we got as much as we could before leaving. I- I had my suspicions he was different or had some secret to it, a feeling he was like my grandmother. She always had a way about her that seemed so similar to Harry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your grandmother?” I ask, surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, she just could do certain things that shouldn’t have been possible, seemed to know more about all the odd things in the world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a squib then, you have magical blood. I knew it, you were too light on your feet and lucky for a normal human.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lori seemed to put out now, utterly distraught, “Rick…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori, I don’t care what you have to say, not right now, and definitely not about what you have to say about Harry. He’s good, I can just tell, even if he was a bit sarcastic and rude when we met, he had his reasons.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re keeping him in the group, and if anyone opposes keeping it to yourselves,” Dale says, looking towards Lori, “Harry, I don’t blame you for keeping this from us, I think we all understand why to a certain extent. So, everyone uses the bathroom and stretch your legs for a bit before we get going!.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I walk over to Dale, “I was thinking we’ve wasted enough gas hauling all of us in this many cars. Maybe we should leave some behind. Siphon the gas out and use that to hopefully extend how far we can go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah that sounds good, we should keep the RV, it can hold plenty of us. At least one car, probably the one Rick is driving, has people take turns driving that one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t drive… So probably you should keep my name off the list of turns.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t really drive cars in the magical world, we have other means of transport.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting, what else do you think we should keep out of the vehicles?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The motorcycles, Merle and Daryl would never shut up if their hog got left when it didn’t have to be. Plus it doesn’t use that much gas, Merle or Daryl could take turns, give each other some rest for when they switch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good, we should probably get to pumping these for fuel then. Make sure to move all the supplies into the RV or the car we’re keeping.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod and see Shane come back from using the restroom, Dale walking away now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What you two talking about?” He asks me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh we’re going to leave some of the vehicles, you’re truck included. Gas is going to run real low with all the ones we’re driving,” I bit my lip hoping he wouldn’t be mad, “Want to help siphon gas from the rest of the cars?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” He says and grabs a can and one of the pumps we’d been using.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon enough we were on the road again. Me, Shane, Rick, Lori, Sophia, Andrea, Glenn, Carl, Amy, and Daryl in the back of the RV. Well…  Andrea up sitting next to Dale who was driving. T-Dog was driving the car that Rick was before, Jim sitting with him. He was still processing the information dumped on him from before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merle was happily driving his motorcycle, Daryl and he had taken turns twice already each time coming into either the back of the RV or sitting in the extra car to get some rest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Harry, this book is so cool, but um you were right mermaids are ugly,” Amy says to me with a giggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile, “Yeah, and they are not very nice either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve met a mermaid?” She says excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah at my school, it was a school for magical people like me. We had an ancient contest held that hadn’t been done in 100’s of years because of the death toll. I was forced in by a dark lord, who thankfully is dead now but he made my life hell for 17 years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, what’s a Dark Lord? Is this a danger we should watch out for?” Andrea buts in, turning around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“An evil wizard, he was crazy but like I said he is dead now. For good, now. It won’t be a problem for any of us. There hasn’t been one since.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know for sure with this magic stuff,” She asks suspiciously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I did it, we were dueling and I rebounded his killing curse back onto him. I did die for a little bit beforehand, which is a whole other situation. But yeah he’s never coming back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is exactly what I was talking about, he’s dangerous Rick, we can’t have him near the kids!” Lori whisper shouts to Rick, for all the whispering she was doing it wasn’t stopping everyone from hearing her talk, I included.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I just shook my head and ignored it. She could think what she wanted, everyone else trusted me, everyone else saw me for who I was, who I am. Someone who was evil and genuinely cares about people. Lori annoyed everyone and was on thin ice with her husband. We could all feel the tension, the impending explosion of their relationship, whatever that would mean for Carl, and how the group would work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I leaned my head against Shane’s shoulder, hearing a soft chuckle from him before he wraps that very same arm around me where we sat on the cushioned bench in the RV. Now leaning against his side, mostly on his chest as he turned slightly. We still hadn’t talked about this, whatever we are right now but I hoped it was more than flirting. More than the cuddling, and the pet names that made me feel flustered and happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So when are we gonna talk about this?” I whisper, an actual whisper, to Shane while the others talked and Amy animatedly talked about the creatures in the book with Andrea. Who while wanted her sister to be happy after the whole almost dying thing didn’t fully trust the magic stuff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carl and Sophia were overlooking a more child-friendly magic book about the cuter creature in the magical world. It was a nice site. Something a bit more normal compared to the outside world of the dead that was up and walking like inferius’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is the ‘this’ you are talking of sweetheart?” Shane whispers back just as quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That right there, the sweetheart, the cuddling like we are now, are we starting something?” I ask him, looking down at the carpet of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifts my head up to look at him, “That’s up to you, but my answer is yes,” He leans in slowly looking me in the eyes before we kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ewww!” Carl says, in a typical kid manner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I laugh lightly and pull away, blushing. Lori was fuming now, it honestly felt great to make her angry. What can I say I always was a bit vindictive, I was still human and honestly if I wasn’t here I could only imagine how’d she try to string Shane along. What that would do to him, being used like he was nothing but a toy to be broken and thrown away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you two are dating!” Glenn says with a smile, “You better treat him right Shane, Harry is too precious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That he is,” Shane says and smirks. Looking over at Lori and feeling nothing. Nothing for her now, except hatred for how she treated him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Harry better treats Shane right too,” Rick says, “I’m really happy for you Shane, you deserve someone good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look up at him, his eyes slightly water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God stop it, man, too much mushy shit is going on now,” Shane rolls his eyes at Rick, an unspoken thank you rings out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh jeez. Aw no. See a way through?” Dale asks Merle who pulls up next to Dale’s window after driving around the RV, nodding to go forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks around, “Maybe we could just go back there’s an interstate bypass-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dale interrupts, “We can’t spare the fuel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well fuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The engine clanks and sputters right after. Making the RV stop, all of us unloading from the RV. T-Dog and Jim walking up behind us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said it. Didn’t I say it? A thousand times. Dead in the water,” Dale says annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Problem, Dale?” T-Dog asks him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of-” He looks around for a second, “okay, that was dumb”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you can’t find a radiator hose here…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a whole bunch of stuff we can find.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t believe the one we found went so quick. Must’ve just been just as old as yours was,” I huff, looking around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Must’ve been, but it got us this far at least,” Dale says so comfort me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start,” T-Dog says, and goes to grab the siphoning gear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe some water,” Carol says to add to the list. There were never enough supplies even with the stuff I had saved and how big the group was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a graveyard. I don’t know how I feel about this,” Lori says, going all negative nancy on everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right, all right, here we go,” Shane says, ignoring her, grabbing my hand to bring me along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, y’all. Just look around, gather what you can,” T-Dog instructs, most following in the instruction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I walk with Shane for a bit, “Hey I’m going to go check on kids,” I say getting a nod from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I turn and barely get a foot away from him before I feel a sharp slap to my ass, making me blush furiously, and turn around to his smug smirking face, “Be careful,” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pivot on my foot again and walk over to Carol and the kids, Lori was with her as well but I ignored her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Carol,” I say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, hey, Sophia loves the books you gave her. She can’t stop talking about the pygmy puffs,” Carol says with a small smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad, how are you doing? You know after…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, better than before. I was actually hoping to talk to you later about somethings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh okay, sounds good,” I say as we start to check a car. It has tons of clothes in it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ed never let me wear nice things like this. We’re gonna need clothes,” She says, holding up a redshirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We definitely are, and that would look very nice on you. Just need to find a jacket to go over it for when it gets colder,” I say smiling, helping her go through the clothes and choosing things that would fit for people and things that would be good to wear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lori ignores us both</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Carl. Always within my sight, okay?” Lori says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too, Sophia,” Carol adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look to the two kids, who were trying to help find things and straying a bit far. I didn’t have a good feeling about it, deciding to stay closer to them for now. Anything could happen when we were so out in the open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh christ. Lori, under the cars. Carl, Sophia, get down now!” Rick says to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carl and Sophia. Sophia,” Carol tries to speak before Lori covers her mouth and leads her under the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I follow Sophia and Carl getting under the same car as Rick nearer to the kids than him. As the walkers come and walk through the cars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing a walker try and go for Sophia and Carl, Carl gets out and hides swiftly leaving Sophia by herself. I start to move out from my cover. I could let her get hurt. She scrambles from out beneath the car running into the woods. A walker following after who I stab in the head after tripping it over and follow after her. Seeing her in the distance as I run into the thicket of the woods. Knowing we could be seen for sure now I point my wand at her and say a tracking spell so I wouldn’t lose her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Running into the woods further and further, I try to yell for her again, hoping she’d finally turn around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sophia!” I yell at her, making her turn and run to me. I hold her tight and look around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry,” She cries, two walkers, come out behind the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to need you to stay behind me okay Sophia,” I say making her let go of me, pushing her behind me, “I’m going to need to kill these two walkers and then we’ll make it back to your mom okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods and stays behind me I kill them quickly with my knife, Sophia still behind me where I told her to stay. I smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come one let’s go before any more show up. Hopefully, that swarm has gone and left.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took us a while to get back, especially since she insisted on being carried because she was tired. I wasn’t the strongest person, let's just say that. Not only that but I didn’t want to use more magic on her. There wasn’t much known on what more than a simple memory spell does to muggles. It was never a true issue since wizards and muggles were kept separate and wizards hidden for a reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walking back up onto the road with Sophia clinging to me I look around and see Dale working on the RV still, everyone else trying to get something done while they waited, supposedly for me to get back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sophia?!” I hear Carol yell, dropping what she was doing to keep busy, running over to us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I let Sophia down, “Go to your mom honey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods and runs to Carol the two of them in tears. As Carol hugs Sophia as if she might never again she looks at me and mouths a thank you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I tiredly smile back, wanting to sit down for a second or something. I blinked slowly, realizing I never took off the tracking spell, my magic had been holding it up the entire time. “I’m going…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Waking up to warm strong arms wrapped around me I open my eyes, “Shane?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finally, god I was so worried,” Shane says, obviously relieved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about that, forgot my tracking spell was still going on my way back with Sophia. It’s a draining spell, not equipped for all the extra weight I was carrying back and the fighting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles at me, leaning down to kiss me, “Don’t say sorry, you saved that little girl. You saved Carol from more undo heartache.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it night time?” I ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, just the next morning actually. Dale’s still trying to get the RV going, that hose is giving us lots of trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, that sucks. How’s everyone else?” I ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“T-Dog got hurt, you think you’re up to looking at his leg?” Shane asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah sure, just two more minutes of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles and allows it as I relax on his chest in the back of the RV. Just the two of us alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I’m going to put this ointment on your wound and you should be all good in the next couple of hours,” I say to T-Dog, dressing his wound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, one of the great accomplishments of the wizarding world, our medical care,” I say with a laugh, “It also won’t cost you an arm and a leg like it does here in the US.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles at that, “You’re right about that, guess your world upholds the UK’s free health care?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, our hospitals are mainly funded by old rich purebloods, and it doesn’t cost much to do what we do. Just training and the pay is more than enough motivation other than the want to heal others.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool, is that why you choose to learn?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah actually, too much fighting, but I learned other things, got interested in warding after. Which is a huge part in how we hid from the rest of the world. You can ward a house or even an entire town to be hidden from those you don’t want to see it. Make it so only people who know a word or special code to see and get in. Very useful stuff and every healer needs to be at least decent in potions.” I say with a smile</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, y’all really have an entire world that no one knows about. That’s so cool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Had,” I say and look away from him. It’s quiet for a long time after while I finish up his dressing on the wound, “Okay if you have any problems let me know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods as I leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Harry, just the person I’m looking for,” Shane says, “So Dale got the RV going and we’re going to clear some of the cars so we can get down to that bypass Glenn flagged on the map.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can help with that,” I say excitedly, “Give me a chance to show off more of what magic can do,” I say smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just don’t exhaust yourself too much, don’t need you fainting again. Even if I get to hold you the entire time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blush, “I’ll try,” I say, walking over to help the others out telling them to move away from the cars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mumbling the levation spell, a lower-level spell that was easy to do with little power even on a massive scale like this is was still less complicated than the tracker I used. That was harder to keep up especially on a muggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I moved the cars we needed before letting myself sit down and catch my breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Glenn breathes out, in awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well look at that Tinkerbell, use a little pixie dust there?” Merle says giving me shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look at him deadpanned, while Daryl laughed and Shane tried not to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like this magic stuff,” Dale says smiling, getting nods from most people, the only odd one out being Lori who was still trying to get on Rick’s good side again by being productive for once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hours passed while I gathered everything up and I decided to make a meal for everyone. Using what we’d found and had left to make sure everyone had enough to eat. I’d suffered too much malnutrition in my life and was now called Tinkerbell by two rednecks and could only hope the others didn’t join in on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s my gun? You have no right to take it,” Andrea says to Dale who was leaning against the RV.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t need that just now, do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father gave it to me. It’s mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can hold onto it for you,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or you can give it back to me,” She says getting heated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I walk over, “Dale, Andrea, everything okay over here?” I ask</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I want my gun back,” She says angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think it’s a good idea right now,” Dale says, his arms crossed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane walks over having overheard everything, “Why not?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not comfortable with it,” Dale says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrea scoffs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look between them, “Andrea, you can barely use the gun, we don’t want someone to get killed because you have a happy trigger, or are cleaning it wrong. It happens all the time, so for now how about you have a knife on you and I’ll keep your gun safe or Shane can. That way you’re still armed but it’s not with something as deadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That does make sense, with how this stuff is going now we should get to gun and combat training anyways. As soon as I pass you, you can have the gun back. We have two kids in the group, gotta be careful with who has a gun.” Shane adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighs in defeat, I hand her a knife and take the gun from Dale, giving it to Shane to keep hold of.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now come eat, it’s not much but hopefully before we leave tomorrow some of the boys can go hunting with Merle and Daryl and we can get a proper meal,” I say sitting down at the fire I had made and grab a serving of food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane sits next to me, as everyone else gathers around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess we’ll have to get something good for you to cook up,” Shane says smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you could bring Carl, Merle and Daryl could teach him somethings about hunting and all that. Good for this whole world ending and dead walking thing,” I say to Shane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rick?” Shane looks over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like the sound of it, we could all learn a little more about hunting,” Rick says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fresh meat would be good for you Rick, can’t imagine the state of you after being in that coma for so long,” I say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Rick asks, looking at me weirdly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You probably have tons of muscle atrophy, malnutrition from the lack of nutrients these past three months, and tons of other things. I’ve been putting nutrition potions in the food I make but it can only do so much if you don’t get enough.” I say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been poisoning us!” Lori dramatically yells.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god, shut up. Nutrient potions aren’t poison and are the only reason you’re even remotely healthy right now. All of us. I know what malnutrition does to your body, I’m a great example of it. So stop with this borderline witch trails you’re trying to pull.” I say, my tired mind letting all my thoughts slip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane looks over at me in surprise, and something else I couldn’t pinpoint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori please stop, he’s only helping us. He’s a literal doctor basically he knows what he’s talking about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, what do you mean you're an example of it?” Carol asks, a worried look on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t raised by the nicest people. That’s all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I set aside my food, “I’m not hungry anymore, Carl, Sophia you can have mine if you’re still hungry,” I say and get up walking away, Shane looking back at me but I shake my head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I take deep breathes as I sit in the RV, trying to put the thoughts of the Dursleys out of my head. They’d always been horrible, neglectful… abusive. It was everything that had made me who I was. Having such an impact on me, and all for what? Having magic? Being gay? Just being me? It was a lot to handle and this was one of the times I couldn’t cope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry,” I hear the soft voice of Carol say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can come in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slowly enters and sits next to me, “You knew what I went through, you tried to ignore it because I wasn’t ready to getaway. At least that’s what I thought, but you were terrified that day when he came up to us at the quarry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I keep my eyes down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, just how bad were you’re parents?” She asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My parent’s died when I was three. I was raised by my Uncle and Aunt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, how bad were they then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aunt Petunia hated magic, Uncle Vernon hated it more. He tried to starve it out of me, tried to beat it out of me, tried to-” My voice cracked and my eye’s filled with tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… Harry,” She says and hugs me close, making me flinch but held me anyways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He raped me, on more occasions than I’d like to admit. It started when I was eight, I had kissed this boy at school. The teachers called to tell them about it and have a talk to me about what was appropriate to do at school. It just gave him another to taunt me about, and then he’d come and pull me out of my cupboard in the middle of the night. The only time I was safe before then, completely ruined, destroyed. I was hated Carol, I was hated and beat, and abused because I had magic, because I was gay. Lori glares at me, says all the things she does and all I can relate that to is my aunt. Who sat back and did nothing about the abuse she saw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I was crying fully now, and so was she, “Demonizing me every chance she got, one time I burned breakfast and she held my hand to the pan until I understood that I wasn’t allowed to be anything but perfect when I did chores. Calling me a demon and monster while she did it. I- I’m just so tired. It’s been a long couple of days. Too long, too many events and we just have to keep going or we’ll die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we’ll keep going together, because while I might not have to go through as much-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carol, that was the man who was supposed to treat you like a queen, to love you. Not hit you, and beat you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks to me and hugs me again, “We just got to keep going, and I’m glad I get to go through these tough times with you around to help and protect us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to be here,” I say with a smile, feeling better now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I rarely talked about all of that, and it was never that in-depth. Just the run of the mile, abuse, and neglect. But she’d been through what I had to some extent, probably in ways I’d never gone through it, a child at risk if she didn’t just take what he gave her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you get Shane for me?” I ask her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you two make a great couple Harry,” She says with a smile, wiping the tears off her face and then mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile and nod, “Thank you, Carol.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few minutes pass before Shane is in the RV, “Everyone else is still eating so we have a little while to ourselves,” He says, closing the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s good,” I say and pat next to me for him to sit and hopefully sleep later like we had most nights now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He comes and sits next to me, “So what did you and Carol talk about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My relatives.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were they-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, they were absolutely terrible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to talk about it to me or have you had enough tonight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I looked at him, “Promise not to think of me any different?” I ask him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pinky promise,” He says holding up his hand, pinky out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile and talk to him about it all, everything. Carol got the ball rolling and I was willing to tell him everything. He’d been my rock, had let me be his rock. We had trust in each other, something that happened so fast but so naturally. Maybe it was the end of the world talking but I could see us together, for a long time if something didn’t come between us before then.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I did end up falling asleep in his arms again. Waking up was just as nice, the sun rising, everyone else in the RV still asleep while we kissed each other good morning. I made breakfast that morning, being accompanied by Carol, Sophia, and Shane this time. All helping out, Sophia mostly helping pass out the bowls of oatmeal and dried berries to everyone. I even got to show them the potion I used every time I cooked. Sophia gawked at it like it was the coolest thing in the world which made my heart warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough Shane was leaving with Rick, Daryl, Merle, and Carl in tow to go hunting. I hugged and kissed Shane goodbye, even with my mind and body screaming at me that this might turn out bad I let them go. Choosing to ignore it, we had our best people minus me going out. It would be fine.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>OKAY I NEED TO ASK YOU ALL WHAT Y'ALL THINK ABOUT LORI BEING PREGNANT??? SHOULD SHE KEEP THE BABY, SHOULD SHE MISCARRY, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT BABY IS SHANE'S AND LIKE I NEED HELP ON WHAT I SHOULD DO EVEN THOUGH THAT'S CHAPTERS AWAY. ehm, okay now that that is over with as per usual, I appreciate any comments, critics, advice, ideas, etc.... I loved the feedback from the last chapter and it really hyped me up to right this as soon as I could. SOOOO please more of that!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Witch Doctor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's finally finished!!! Only took me I think a day or two, please don't get used to this though, I don't know exactly how returning to school will go next month for me (in person for two days a week) butttt I do really want to try and do a frequent chapter for all the people who love this book. This chapter is 5037 words long, 9 pages in my document, and definitely a chapter I'm super proud of. There is a content warning later at the end of the chapter so be prepared for that, you can stop reading there if that's what you would like to do it's the end of the chapter completely so you all have been warned. Twice btw lol.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Daryl and Merle had just left them to do some hunting of their own after getting fed up with Rick and Shane, Carl too but they taught the basics before leaving to find their own catch. Hopefully actually being able to bring something back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An hour passes and they’re long gone. Rick and Shane with Carl having spotted a deer now. Carl lined up the shot as instructed by Rick and Shane who worked together like they used to. No tension now that they had aired out their shit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“NO!” Rick yells as Carl is shot, he picks up his boy after he falls back from the power of the bullet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A man ran out from where he had made his shot at the deer but missed and shot Carl. Carrying his gun at his side as he runs towards them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am so sorry! Oh my god, I can lead you guys to a farm. We have a doctor there, supplies for this,” He says, and points in the direction Rick was going to run, “I can lead you two there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick looks at Shane, “Follow until we see the house then run and get Harry,” He says and starts to run in the direction the man pointed in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane glares at the man and follows after Rick, the other man close behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Rick says, panicking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you move, shit head. Come on. Get us there,” Shane yells in just as much a panic. It might not be his kid but Carl was basically like his nephew, heck actual son these past few months. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How far? How FAR?!” Rick yells in tears as he runs forwards, having to adjust Carl to keep the boy up in his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Another half-mile that way. Hershel. Talk to Hershel. He’ll help your boy,” He gasps out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go. Come on!” Shane says irritated by the fat man who was out of breathing and holding them back now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was he bit?” Hershel asks as he sees Rick running up to the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shot. By your man,” Rick says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Otis?” A woman says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He said, find Hershel, is that you? Help me. Help my boy, at least until our doctor can get here,” Rick pleads with the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get him inside. Patricia, I need my full kit. Maggie, painkillers, coagulates- grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol. In here. Pillowcase,” Hershel leads Rick into a room to put Carl down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he alive?” Rick asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pillowcase, quick,” Hershel says to Patricia, “Fold it. Make a pad. Put pressure on the wound. I’ve got a heartbeat. It’s faint.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got it, step back,” She says to Rick, pushing her way to Carl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maggie, IV,” Hershel says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you had a doctor?” Hershel asks, Rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Harry, he- he just needs to get here and everything will be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rick”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rick?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m- I’m Rick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rick, we’re gonna do everything we can, Okay? Get your doctor here, but for now, give us some room. Now.” Hershel says, making Rick leave the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Otis cries to Shane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, I know, now MOVE!” Shane yells, trying to not lose his cool completely. It would do no good, and Harry would probably not like to hear that he went so far back into being a dick. Even with the circumstances that were present.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s alive? He’s still alive?” Otis asks Rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane sees his friend, and it breaks his heart, taking out a rag, “Hey… okay. It’s okay,” He says and starts to wipe Rick's face, “You got blood, man. Okay. I’ll take it from you. Where is he? Where is he? Is he okay?” Shane asks Rick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both enter the room again, “You know his blood type?” Hershel asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A positive, same as mine,” Rick says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fortunate. Don’t wander far. I’m gonna need you. What happened?” Hershel asks Otis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was tracking a buck. Bullet went through it,” Otis explains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When clean through. The deer slowed the bullet down. Which certainly saved his life. But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. If I get the bullet fragments out… and I’m counting six”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never saw him, not until he was on the ground.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori doesn’t know?” Rick says to Shane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…” Shane says trailing off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My wife doesn’t know. My wife doesn’t know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You still worrying about it?” Andrea asks Lori.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Referring to the gunshot we all heard. I was worried too, but who wouldn’t be. Shane could be hurt, or Daryl or Merle, or Carl, any one of them could be seriously injured and not have me there to heal them up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a gunshot,” Lori states the obvious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes Lori, we all have ears too,” I say to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why one? Why just one gunshot?” Lori asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe they shot at an animal or walker,” I say getting annoyed with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t patronize me. You know Rick wouldn’t risk a gunshot to put down just one walker. Or Shane they’d do it quietly,” Lori says angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are really getting on my nerves, they’ll be back soon, and as I said before about a walker, it is most likely a damn deer dude. Some actual meat for us to eat. They would risk that for the group to get a half-decent meal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So we’ll send Maggie with Shane to get your doctor, for now, I need you, Rick. Since you have the same blood type,” Hershel says after Maggie leads them back to the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurry back, and make sure that he brings anything he needs!” Hershel yells as the two of them leave for the RV where they still had it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They rode to where the group was on horses together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I notice the sound turning his head to see Shane and a woman, both on horses, “SHANE!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stop just before me, the rest of the group gathering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is the rest of everyone?” I say, Merle and Daryl, arriving back just then as well, making my heart skyrocket, “Where are Carl and Rick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, you need to get your medical supplies, all of it. Carl was shot, Rick’s with him at a farm,” Shane says to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blink slowly before snapping out of it, taking out my wand I Accio my trunk, “We can go now,” I say and get on the back of the horse he was riding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori gets on the horse with Maggie, we’ll come back for the rest of everyone else,” Shane says, I’m already wrapping my arms around his waist having had shrunk my supplies and put it in my pocket for easy carrying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman, who I could only assume is Maggie, looks like she just saw a miracle, an act of magic which I guess she just did. I really got lax on hiding the shit, but I guess it doesn’t matter anyway now for sure. I had no reason to hide it anyhow. I just needed to use everything I could to save Carl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When we make it back to the farm Maggie and Shane lead me and Lori to where Carl is. Rick was hooked up to a blood transfuser, a homemade one at that. I shake my head slightly. At least this Hershel dude kept Carl alive long enough for me to get here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What all has been done,” I ask, Hershel as I get out my gear. Taking my shrunken trunk out of my pocket and re-enlarge it, “I’m a wizard, I use different means of healing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only got one fragment, there are five more in there, one of the fragments must’ve hit a blood vessel. We need to put him-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can do it,” I say and cast a diagnosis spell than an x-ray spell, then get out a blood replenisher potion that would work better than draining Rick of all his blood, “Rick you can leave now, go be with Lori. I’ll save your son no worries.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I then hit Carl with a body-bind spell so he wouldn’t move even if he woke up. Opening him back up I start my work to get all the fragments out of his body, working slow and careful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a wizard?” Hershel asks as everyone else leaves the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m a fully certified medi-wizard. I can do things you can only imagine doing, probably some of the only good things to come out of finding out I was a wizard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So there are schools for this stuff you do?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I did apprenticeships, which are harder to come by and more revered though. Now I’m sorry but I really have to focus. I found the bleeder,” I say, making him go quiet as I heal it with my magic, no sutures needed. Making sure to heal the smaller things I could as I closed Carl up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I do another Diagnosis spell, and sigh in relief, “I got everything, for now, he’s stable and should be fine. I’ll put a monitoring spell on for now and lift the body bind so he can move when he wakes up,” I say to Hershel and do so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not going to be able to keep him stable on the move, and we can’t leave him or his family behind. I hate to ask but can we stay on your property until he’s healed enough to leave. We can help out here, hunt for our own food. I can even cook for you guys if you want, I cook for my group anyways-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s only fair we let y’all stay for the trouble Otis caused. But just till he’s healed, and I won’t pass you up on that meal either,” Hershel says with a faint smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sigh in relief, “I’ll let them know. Thank you again, we have plans on leaving anyways, places we’re trying to make it to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I walked out of the room, overly tired, I hadn’t been using much magic but healing magic is from the core of your being. Your intent has to be there, that’s partially why we take an oath as medi-wizards/witches. To compel every healer to heal our patients to the best of our abilities. But even then sometimes like with Carl here the damage is horrible and you can only do so much. Still having to use sutures on his stomach, and he still had to heal on the inside himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not much I could do with the rest of the situation, but at least we had a place to stay in the meantime. I look around to find Rick and Shane. Lori would be with them but I wasn’t going to directly talk to the bitch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spotting them sitting on the couch in the house's living room I walk over, “Rick, Shane, Carl’s going to be okay. I was able to-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rick stood up and ambushed me with a tight hug, I could feel his tears on my neck as he was hunched over slightly while hugging me. I smile and hug him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” He whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your welcome, you and Lori can go and sit with him. I also got the okay from Hershel to let us stay here until Carl is fully healed,” I say, “We’re going to be staying on the property but not near the house and in tents. And the RV but it's not the worst deal in the world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, thank you so much, Harry. I don’t know what we would do without you,” Rick says, wiping his eyes and letting me go now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both he and Lori headed to the room Carl was in. I smile at Shane walking over and sitting in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saved him,” I said with a smile that I couldn’t keep from my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane smiles back, putting a hand on the back of my neck pulling me in for a kiss. I hum happily, as we sit there for a few seconds. Basking at the moment, it could have been so bad but it wasn’t. I was there and able to do something, to save Carl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so proud of you, so happy to call you my boyfriend,” Shane says looking me in the eyes. I blush. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Boyfriend?” I question, my eyebrows raised, “Didn’t know we decided that just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said yes, didn’t I? To anything you want baby,” He winks at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I roll my eyes, “Well at least we might be able to do something now that we’re sticking in one place for a while. I can’t do much now but let Carl heal himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? And what would that something be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get your head out of the gutter,” I say standing up, “We still got to get everyone here, maybe we can get that Otis guy to bring us on his truck this time since we’re not in a total rush.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane groans slightly before getting up, “I guess we have to, don’t we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes we do, now come on, who’s Otis anyways?” I ask Shane, and he leads me outside to find a bigger man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His size reminded me of my uncle making me gulp uncomfortably, “Shane,” I take a deep breath to calm myself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” He asks me, walking in front of me to block the view of Otis.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He- he just reminds me of my uncle. It’s unsettling. Can- is he nice at least?” I ask, grabbing one of Shane’s hands for support.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Overly apologetic overshooting Carl seems like a nice enough dude. He was terrified at what he had done. Totally torn over it,” He responds, clenching my hand slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I’ll be okay, thank you. I’m sorry about this, I just- I really haven’t dealt with a lot of my trauma especially the Dursleys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it, let’s go get the rest of our crew, and then you can relax or cook. I think I saw the Dixon's dragging back a deer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile, “Yeah, I did promise Hershel a meal. It’ll be nice to cook in a kitchen again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There we go, think about that while we catch a ride back to the others. Hopefully, they packed up, so we can get going,” Shane says, walking us over to Otis who was more than happy to drive us to our group. And thankfully the only thing that he had in common with Vernon was his stature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone seemed pleased to be able to rest somewhere safely for the time being. Daryl and Merle did in fact shoot and drag back a deer that had lots of meat on its bones. By the time we got back, I had to take a pepper-up potion to stay awake. I was tired but overall wanted to pull through on my promise of dinner. For everyone’s sake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was easy enough if I ignored Shane, who was at my back the entire time. Making sure I was feeling alright and worried about how tired I looked. Eventually, I sent him off to put up a tent for us. Yes, ‘us’ somethings move quickly at the end of the world and this was one of them. Who were we to put it off, we liked each other, we understood each other. It felt right and there was no use in fighting it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dinner is ready,” I said out loud in the house, there was enough to feed anyone who wanted some, and depending on the serving size maybe have seconds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess this is where you get to meet the rest of the family,” Hershel says to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile, “Yeah, I guess, maybe we can do an icebreaker before we start eating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good to me,” Hershel says, “I wanted to let you know we’re a religious family but we have no problem with your magic. It saved a boy today, and I imagine it has saved many other people as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod to him, going outside to call everyone in. Getting everyone situated at the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would like to say thank you to Harry for this meal, it was a nice gesture of kindness,” Hershel says, I nod to him, “Since it is a convenient enough time was can all go around and introduce ourselves, I’m Hershel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A young girl next to him speaks next, “I’m Beth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie says her name, smiling at everyone. Her eye’s stopping on Glenn for longer than anyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Jimmy, Beth’s boyfriend, thank you for the meal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Otis, and this is my wife Patricia,” Otis introduces himself and his wife.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Rick, this is my wife Lori, our son Carl is indisposed for now. I wanted to say I know it was an accident Otis, and we brought us here out of the kindness of your heart and it’s appreciated. Along with allowing us to stay here on the property Hershel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hershel nods, Lori stays quiet. She looked like she tuckered out herself from crying. I would be crying too if that was Teddy. Having your little boy shot, almost killed must have been the worst feeling in the world for Rick and Lori both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m T-Dog, it’s nice to meet y’all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merle looks up from his plate, “I’m Merle, that’s my brother Darylena-” Daryl hits him on the shoulder making me laugh, “Daryl, we caught the deer for this meal. Tinkerbell over here is the one who did such a beautiful buck justice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blush a little, “It’s Harry, they just insist on calling me Tinkerbell,” I say annoyed, but not really, it wasn’t the worst nickname, much better than Darylena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Andrea, this is my little sister Amy, she’s probably around your age Beth,” She says smiling, the two girls wave to each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Carol and this is my daughter Sophia,” Carol says, whispering to Sophia to wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Dale, oldest of the group, and owner of the RV out there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Glenn, I do most of our scavenging,” Glenns says, “With Harry mostly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do most of ours,” Maggie says, sizing up Glenn again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane looks around, “I guess I’m last up, I’m Shane, Harry’s boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two finally got together,” Glenn says excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep,” I say with a smile, “So do you guys say grace? Hershel was telling me you guys are pretty religious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes we do, Maggie do you want to lead us in grace?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” We all take each other's hands while she speaks, “That you god, for all you blessed us with today, the miracle of life bestowed upon us and the food up the table brought to us as well. Amen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We break apart and start eating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh,” Beth says as she eats the food I prepared, “This is amazing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile, “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, looks like you’re a lucky fella Shane. He can cook and he’s a doctor,” Otis says laughing, Lori glares at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m definitely lucky to catch this one, and Harry’s very good-looking too,” Shane says with a smile and kisses me softly while we eat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He can do magic too,” Maggie says, “Is there anything you can’t do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smirk, “When I find something I’ll let you know,” we both laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry saved my little girl too,” Carol says, “Almost got caught by one of the walkers when we were out on the highway, it was so scary. I don’t know if she would have lived if he weren’t there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like we have a real hero in our mists,” Hershel says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freak more like it,” Lori mutters under her breath. I stopped eating and looked over at her. Shane looked ready to throttle the woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry it’s been a long day for the two of us, Hershel I hope you wouldn’t mind if I and Lori take our food outside,” Rick says trying to keep the peace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine, it was nice having you for the meal,” He says, looking at me. I keep my mouth shut this time, it wasn’t worth the energy, and I wanted to save all I had for later tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The food was amazing as usual Harry,” Rick compliments me and leads the two of them out of the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as they were out I laughed a bit, “I personally don’t like calling myself a hero, more of a person with a saving everyone complex. Don’t know how to just let someone go and die, I guess. I think everyone here can understand the feeling of loss, especially now. I’m just grateful to play a part in giving someone a bit longer if I can, hopefully, that bit longer is many many years of happiness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone smiles softly, “Yeah we’ve all definitely lost people, sadly, but miracles seem to keep happening. It gives a little hope to me,” Maggie says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can second that,” Hershel says with a smile putting a hand on his daughter's back gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon enough we were all heading to our newly set up tents. Shane led me to our tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to see something cool,” I say, taking out my wand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think you’re up for more magic today?” He asks me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, my pepper-up potion hasn’t worn off yet,” I say as I start my incantation in expanding my tent, making it a true wizarding tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now come inside,” I say, hooking my fingers in his belt loops as I pull him into the tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” He says, looking around in shock. It was lit up with fairy lights, the floor of the tent cushioned, my trunk was to the left of the entrance. There was an alcove further into the tent to the right, where our bed was transformed from the blankets and sleeping bags Shane put in here. To the left of that alcove was my potion set up so I could use this time at the farm to restock. The entire thing done in greens, browns, and greys like I imagined as I did the spell. I had gotten pretty good at my charmed tents. Teddy loved camping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You like it?” I ask, hoping he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulls me in for a kiss making sure the tent shut, “Is this thing soundproof?” He asks huskily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smirk, “Yeah, I thought we could use a bit of privacy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh did you now?” Shane says, “So you wouldn’t mind us making use of that wonderful bed back there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” I say, pulling Shane in for another kiss, slowly starting to make out with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Feeling his hands run down my back and rest on my ass for a bit before gripping it firmly and massaging. I moaned against his mouth and wrapped my arms around his neck. Allowing myself to be picked up and carried to the bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(I HATE TO INTERRUPT BUT THIS WILL BE WHERE SMUT COMMENCES!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After I’m set down on the bed, Shane starts to strip. Taking off his shirt and throwing it to the side, his pants and underwear are off next. Giving me a wonderful site to look at and admire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your turn baby,” Shane says, smirking. Definitely happy to see that I enjoyed the view, to the point of smugness that only seemed to work on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I started to undress, taking off my shirt letting it fall onto the floor. Undoing my pants buttons as I leaned back to get them out from underneath where I was sitting on the bed. Leaving me sitting on the bed in a pair of tight boxer briefs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, if you don’t move faster I might have to take those off myself,” Shane says, grabbing at his own large package.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blush at the size, slightly embarrassed that I was smaller than him, “Then do it, take off my pants daddy,” I tease him, trying to stay confident regardless of my fears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If that's what you want baby,” Shane growls getting on top of me on the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands-on either side of my head as he leans down, making out with me roughly in a way that made butterflies form in my stomach. Making his way down my body, when I try to pull him up to kiss me more he binds my wrists together above my head with just one hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hands off baby, let me do all the work. I want to make you feel good tonight,” He warns me, making me nod and keep them there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continues his work from before, adding love bites in his wake across my body. On my neck, on my pecs, sucking on my nipples till they puffed up a bit. Eventually making it down to my thighs like he was trying to memorize every part of my body with his mouth and hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I moaned and whimpered softly as he sucked and gently bit my thighs. Soon enough my boxers were being pulled off, my dick finally free from its confines. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything good so far?” He checks in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I gasp out a bit, “Amazing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, let me know if you need me to stop baby,” Shane says as he starts to lick and suck on the tip of my dick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I did not expect him to blow me but it was definitely welcome and made me moan in ways I had never had before. My hands flying to his head, wanting to grab and feel his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stops and looks up, a dark but sexy look in his eye, “I’ll allow it, but if you pull or push baby you’re gonna wish you kept your hands above your head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I gulp but nod, “Thank you, daddy, I’ll try not to. I just really like your hair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles, “I like your everything baby,” He says before continuing his work getting me closer and closer as he takes me in his mouth fully, slightly in his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I keep my hands in check as I just grip his hair, running my hands through it as I try to keep myself from cumming too fast. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>My eyes widen as he swallows and hums around me, “Stop!” He does in an instant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?!” He asks worriedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes I- I just didn’t want to cum yet, I want to cum with you inside me,” I say blushing bright red. The worry melts off his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have lube sweetheart?” He asks, and I nod waving my hand and wordlessly a bottle appears in my hand. A man needs some pleasure okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirks and takes it, “I’ll stop whenever you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “I don’t want you to, I want you to fuck me and fill me up, daddy. Mark me, make me yours,” I whisper in his ear as we sit up and move further onto the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I move a pillow under my lower back and spread my legs for him, looking at him as he moves in between my open legs. He rubs the inside of my thighs to outside pulling me a little closer before taking the lube from me. Pouring a generous amount onto his fingers and rubbing it into my hole, taking his time making sure I was wet enough down there before pressing a finger in me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I hide my face in my arms when he does. I moan at the nice feeling, “Don’t hide from me Harry,” He says pulling my arms down and leaning in to kiss me as he pushes his finger in and out of me. After a while adding a second and a third until I’m a moaning mess, and our kisses are more and more open-mouthed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes his fingers out and lines himself up, pouring more lube onto himself, “You sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pull him in for another kiss, “Yes, please do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods and kisses me back as he pushes in slowly, until he’s fully in, “God you’re so big,” I moan and whimper slightly. Moving my hips against his as I try to get used to his size. He allows me the control as I grind myself against him, moving my hips until I break out into a long moan having found my own prostate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at that, you even showed me where you’re g-spot is baby, what a good boy,” He says into my neck as he starts to kiss and suck there moving in and out gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, faster please,” I whine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He responds accordingly, fucking into faster like he had decided there and then he’d turn me into even more mush than I already was. Thrusting against my spot repeatedly, making sure I was always enjoying everything I was doing. Leaving me to only be able to wrap my arms around him and grab at his hair tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while he flips us around, “Ride me, baby,” He says. Leaving me to steady myself on his huge cock. Pressing my hands to his chest I lift myself up gently fucking myself down on him. I moan, and pant as I work to move on top of him, trying to find a rhythm. As a couple of minutes pass, I find it and start to bounce with ease, his hands on my hips, gripping tightly helping me thrust myself down and bounce myself up. Both of us are getting closer by the second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m gonna cum!” I scream, seeing white, closing my eyes as I cry out and cum on his chest. Being pulled down swiftly, held down as Shane cums in me. I could feel him pulse inside me repeatedly for a few moments. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, you’re amazing,” Shane says to me, pulling me down onto his chest. Kissing me again as I lay on his chest, licking his lips as he pulls away and tucks my head under his, kissing my hair softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are too, that was… wonderful,” I say, “Best I’ve ever had.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too, you outshine any of the others.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile, tiredly I wave my hand and scourgify the cum off his chest and the sweat on our skin, then an atmospheric charm to make it cooler in the tent. My eyes shut as I fell asleep. Shane followed soon after.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AAAAAAH they fucked! lol, that was inspired by some of the commenters, one in particular but to work with the timeline I want to set it kinda had to happen, and I just want everyone to know that Harry knew he was gay, like knew because of experience and didn't feel pressured to do this but wanted to. With having to save carl and noticing just how fragile life is especially now, why wait? I'll explore Harry having trauma reactions to this stuff later, but he's riding off the high of saving Carl, and btw at the end, the pepper-up potion is worn off, so not under the influence by the time they got down to business. <br/>As always though, I enjoy all comments, critics, ideas, etc. anything you'd like to see leave below, and like I mean anything. I love hearing ideas and it's kinda what made me write this chapter just so fast as well as the last. So like please keep me writing. I have nothing else to do, for right now.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Miracle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We're not going to talk about how I stayed up all night writing this 7 page long chapter. We're just not gonna lol. But I love this chapter, it's like emotional whiplash. Sad, happy, sad, hawt, happy, its a lot okay. also smut warning, small but there's story after it you don't wanna miss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>I woke up slowly the next morning, groaning slightly. Attempting to sit up, only to gasp slightly, my lower back was on fire. Though the only grace I was given was Shane having slipped out of me during the night while we slept. I decided to let myself lay on top of him for a little while longer. I didn’t have to make breakfast yet.</p><p>Staring at his peaceful face as he slept I smiled to myself, last night was amazing. Wonderful, in ways, I never felt before even with past lovers. He was just so tender and caring, knew when I wanted something rougher and when to slow down and let me have some control. Made it something special for me in ways I wasn’t given when I was younger and it was stolen for the first time.</p><p>I kiss Shane on the cheek while he’s still sleeping and get up, groaning but able to get up. Knowing just exactly how much pain there would be now as I did. I wasn’t lying to him when I said he was big, and honestly, it was a bit much but definitely very enjoyable. I looked around, as I moved and felt what little bit of cum was still wet enough to find its way out through gravity. Cringing at the feeling I finally scourgify it away, I had forgotten in my haste last night to do the bare minimum for us to be comfortable.</p><p>I throw my clothes in the dirty clothes hamper that I always put in my charmed tents. I still enjoy cleanliness no matter what, years of having everything be spotless had stuck and I didn’t hate it either. I go through my trunk and try to find some clothes to wear. I found a pair of clean boxers, a pair of light blue skinny jeans that I loved, and decided to wear one of my lighter jumpers that were dark emerald green. Making sure to grab all my knives and holster them as well.</p><p>Even with how safe the farm seemed there wasn’t much in the ways of outside protecting. If a herd came upon this place there wasn’t a whole lot you could do. I look over to me and Shane’s bed, seeing him finally waking up. I walk over to him after dressing completely and roll up my sleeves.</p><p>“Hey,” I say, climbing back on the bed and giving him a kiss as I lay on him.</p><p>“Good mornin’, last night was… amazing,” He says smiling, giving me a look to see what I was wearing now, “I like that sweater on you, but don’t you think it’s a bit too warm for this weather?”</p><p>“Nah, it’s super light, and cooling charms do wonders,” I say smiling, giving him another pec on the cheek.</p><p>“Well it looks good on you,” He says sitting up, making me have to sit back on the bed now.</p><p>“I found a nice button-up for you,” I say, Accio it over to me, “See it's about your size too.”</p><p>He smiles, “Thank you, sweetheart, I really like it,” He says and shrugs the light grey button upon, “Can you do that cool spell to get me my underwear and pants too?”</p><p>I nod, and do so, “You get dressed I’m going to go and make breakfast for everyone,” I say leaving the tent, after grabbing what I would need, a limp settles in my step as I do.</p><p>I walk up seeing Hershel sitting on the porch, “You mind if I use your kitchen to cook up breakfast for everyone, I brought everything I would need.”</p><p>“Sure, but you really don’t have to make all the meals you know that right?” He asks me, curiously.</p><p>“I enjoy cooking, plus I enjoy the normality of it ya’know. You don’t get a lot of that now, heck I’ve been cooking over a fire for three months. Now it was nice to eat most days, and be able to provide that but I had to apply so many new techniques so the food would turn out right.”</p><p>He nods, “Makes sense. You can use the kitchen, only you as long as you bring your own food. I don’t mind lending some eggs or a little bit of milk but I don’t like mooches. You earn your keep, do the work you get what you need.”</p><p>I nod, “I’ve never mooched in my life sir, and I don’t plan on it any time soon. Let me know if you need anything, I’m more than willing to help out.”</p><p>He nods and goes back to rocking in his chair. I head inside and start to cook, soon enough Maggie and Beth come downstairs. Patricia and Otis soon after, I put out the food and go to find everyone else to eat.</p><p>Shane’s already walking inside and gives me a kiss as I walk past him. I head to the RV first to wake Dale, Andrea, and Jim who were all sleeping about in the RV. Having them head up I go around to the tents, everyone goes with ease before I come to Daryl and Merle’s tents. </p><p>“Daryl, Merle!” I yell, “Wake your asses up.”</p><p>I hear groaning as they grudgingly get out of the tents, “There are the two sleepy heads, come on breakfast is ready and you don’t want to eat cold eggs and oatmeal, there’s also a smoothie mix I made. I really like stasis charms, so easy to keep produce fresh. Not so easy to example to muggles.”</p><p>“Tinkerbell I’m gonna need you to shut your mouth for a second. God, I woke up with the worst headache,” Merle complains.</p><p>“Yeah well I woke up with my entire lower back in pain, get over it and come on,” I say rolling my eyes at Merle’s dramatic self.</p><p>“What?” Daryl says, “Harry?”</p><p>“What?” I say looking at him weirdly.</p><p>“Darylena it would seem our little Tinkerbell got it on with Mister Sheriff last night,” Merle says uncouth, a shit-eating grin on his face.</p><p>“You are a bloody asshole,” I say and walk away.</p><p>“Sheriff must be big to make you limp like that, or maybe it’s 'cause you’re so small,” Daryl mumbles tiredly following after.</p><p>I blush and walk fast trying to ignore the limp I had. Heading back inside I sit down next to Shane, who was next to Lori. I sent her a glare and kissed Shane right thereafter seeing her hand try to touch his leg. Maybe I was overreacting but frankly, I didn’t care, plus who needs an excuse to kiss their boyfriend.</p><p>Shane smiles at me, “You need to eat sweet cheeks.”</p><p>“Mmm, okay,” I say and put some food on my plate and pour a glass of the smoothie for myself.</p><p>We all eat in relative silence, once I finish I head in the kitchen to clean my plate and put it away, doing the same as the rest of the dishes funneled in. I had to stay here to check on Carl afterward anyway.</p><p>When I walk into the room, I see Carl, he had the color slightly back in his face and looked better already. He still had a long way to go but for a little boy who just got shot and almost died, he was doing great. I heard a knock at the door.</p><p>“You can come in, just checking on him,” I say. </p><p>Rick and Lori come into the room, Sophia with them.</p><p>“He’s doing great for the circumstances, should be waking up soon. I’m going to go see if there’s anything we need to do around the farm. If he needs me, come and find me.”</p><p>Rick nods, letting me pass him as I leave the room. Sophia had brought the book I gave the two of them and was reading it to Carl now. Lori was sitting by his bed holding his hand, Rick next to her, looking at his boy. I had to walk away before I started to cry. God, I just wanted Teddy to be okay, I just wanted him with me. I- I missed him so much, too much.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s everyone doing out here?” I ask to see everyone at the well.</p><p>“Walker down there,” Maggie says.</p><p>“Looks like we’ve got us a swimmer,” Dale says.</p><p>“How long do you think it’s been down there?” Glenn asks.</p><p>“Long enough to grow gills,” Andrea asks, making me laugh.</p><p>“We can’t leave it in there. God knows what it’s doing to the water,” Lori says cringing.</p><p>“We got to get it out,” Shane agrees.</p><p>I think to myself, and start to levitate the walker out of the water with ease, “Can someone be ready to kill this fucker?” I ask the group of people gathered.</p><p>It’s moving around as I lift it out and maneuver the walker to the ground. Shane swiftly stabbed it in the head. I huff and smile at Shane.</p><p>“Guess the only thing to do now is get this water drinkable, I can vanish it and then use argumenti. It would give clean water to the well, and I could do a scourgify on the well before that so it’s clean as well?”</p><p>Everyone stares at me, “Sorry guess this is still a lot?” I ask everyone.</p><p>They nod in unison, “It's so fucking cool,” Glenn gushes, excitedly.</p><p>I laugh, “So you want to see me clean this well?” I ask everyone.</p><p>“Yes!” Glenn says nodding.</p><p>“I’m down to see more of this magic of yours,” Maggie says to me.</p><p>I do the spells and use all the incantations and wand movements to get the full effect for them, “I can do all these with relative ease even when doing wandless and wordless magic. You learn to do a lot of intent-based magic in medi-wizard apprenticeships. That and growing up without always having your wand available and being a volatile angry youth.”</p><p>Glenn listens happily, wanting to learn more. It warmed my heart, even knowing he had at least some wizard blood in him was awesome. Even more, so that he was willing and wanted to learn about it. Sure I couldn’t teach him spells, but there other things, heck maybe he’d enjoy seeing the tent and helping with potions. I’d have to get him in on that.</p><p>“Hey now that we’re done here, Glenn you want to come on a supply run with me?” Maggie asks Glenn. He nods.</p><p>I smile in their direction, looking towards Shane who was walking off with Andrea. I could only assume he was going to start training lessons for guns and other ways of self-defense. By the end, I’m left alone everyone heading off to do something.</p><p>Oddly enough as I walk to see if I could go on the supply run with Glenn I see Lori talking to him. Deciding I might as well listen in.</p><p>“I need you to get what’s on this paper,” Lori says to Glenn.</p><p>He looks at the paper, “Um… Where would I find this?” Glenn asks her.</p><p>“Feminine hygiene,” She says, “I need it brought to me discreetly.”</p><p>My brows furrow… what could she need that’s discreet, we all know everyone gets their periods and when at this point.</p><p>“Okay, okay,” You got it.</p><p>I wait for her to walk away and head up to him, “What was that about?” I ask Glenn.</p><p>“She just needed something,” He says, acting fidgety.</p><p>“Glenn, you’re my friend, we’ve saved each other's asses out there more than anyone else in the camp. I just need to know if this is what I think it is.”</p><p>“I- Harry…” Glenn looks torn up, and I know then.</p><p>I bit my lip as I try to keep my tears in, I turn on my heel, ignoring his yells for me to come back. She was fucking pregnant. Pregnant in the end of the bloody fucking end of the world, and that was not Rick’s. No way it was, too damn early to suspect that pregnancy if it was Rick’s. I continued walking until I headed into the woods, by myself now. I took a deep breath, breathing in the clean crisp air. </p><p>I don’t want to regret any of the decisions and steps I took with Shane, and I don’t want to think that he would ever consider going back to being her toy. But that was his baby if she was pregnant. If she kept it if she didn’t already ruin her chances with the wine when we were at the C.D.C. There were so many things saying she could just not be pregnant.</p><p>I look around deciding I might as well see if I can’t find any wild potion ingredients while I was out. Finding a decent amount before heading back, putting them with the rest of my supplies before deciding to start up some of the easier potions I needed to resupply like the nutrient potion. I was running low and was dipping into my personal mixes from when I was really bad.</p><p>I got those straight from St. Mungos. Fainting while on the job equals full workup, let that be known. Also, let it be known I would work myself into the ground and forget to eat. I guess that’s probably another reason why I was so willing to cook. It gave me a reason to remember to eat and feed myself as well as others.</p><p> </p><p>“Harry?” I hear, I turn my head and cast a stasis spell on my potion.</p><p>“Oh! Hey Shane,” I say, “Is everything okay?” </p><p>“Yeah, I was just looking for you. After training with Andrea I tried to see if you went with Glenn but Hershel said he saw your head off into the first after talking to Glenn. Did something happen with you two?” </p><p>I sigh and shake my head, “No just needed to clear my head, get some ingredients I needed while I was out. Didn’t have much to do so I just started on replenishing my potions,” I repeated everything I had said in my head leaving out that Lori might be pregnant.</p><p>“Oh, well, I’m glad you found something to do. Carl woke up earlier, for a little bit, and then went back to sleep,” Shane says with a small smile.</p><p>“Yeah? That’s awesome, he’ll only get better from here!” I say, keeping up the mask of happiness I was getting really tired of. Shane didn’t deserve me lying, least of all about my emotions. He had already tried to be the best he could be.</p><p>“Yeah, hey are you okay? You just seem a little off? Is it because I headed off with Andrea without saying anything? I promise I don’t see her in any type of romantic way, she just seemed to really want to get to learn how to use her gun. To protect Amy,” He says and it almost breaks my heart that he thinks I think he’s cheating.</p><p>“No- no Shane I promise that’s not it. I just- I can’t tell you, it’s not for me to tell you. I just didn’t like hearing the news. I also just… I really miss Teddy, I keep thinking about him whenever Carl is around. That could be Teddy, but with no one to help him, no one to be there and save him when it’s needed.”</p><p>“I get it, Harry, I’m so sorry,” He says and hugs me close, “Is there anything I can do?”</p><p>“Let me stay in here and be a hermit for the rest of the day?” I ask, hoping the answer can be a yes.</p><p>He laughs, “Of course you can, not like any of us deserve your cooking or help today, heck I don’t think anyone noticed you were gone. Merle and Daryl are already out hunting for stuff already actually, so that’s probably why they didn’t come looking for ya. But the rest, and myself no excuse, god if you had gotten injured out there-”</p><p>“Hey, hey I’m alright, and honestly I needed the breather. I’m around everyone constantly, and that doesn’t give a lot of room to think.”</p><p>He nods, “Yeah, okay.”</p><p>I kiss him gently, “I have to get back to this potion or I’ll have wasted the ingredients. But check back in soon, maybe we can have a bit of fun.”</p><p>He smirks and nods, “Okay and I’ll let everyone know you’re busy and to figure out dinner,” He says then leaves me alone again.</p><p>I breathed out a breath I didn’t know I was holding in. I wanted to spill about Lori so bad, but even though I despised her, and the way she acted she didn’t deserve me telling Shane. That was for her to do. </p><p>As soon as the potion was finished I bottled all the doses I could get and stored them away. I didn’t start any other potions and just plopped down on my bed.</p><p>I look up when I heard the tent open again hoping it was Shane.</p><p>“Harry,” It was Glenn.</p><p>“What's up?” I say sitting up on the bed.</p><p>“Jesus this is cool, magic?” </p><p>I nod, “Yeah, magic. Charmed tents. Expanding them to the point you could live as comfortably as if you were in a house.”</p><p>“Yeah, I can see that,” Glenn says walking in further, “What’s that stuff?” He asks pointing to the potion gear.</p><p>“How I make potions, you could do some of them too. If you wanted. There’s plenty of potions that don’t require any magic assistance. Though it is nice to be able to put a stasis spell when needed.” I ramble on.</p><p>“I’d love to, but I came in here to tell you it was a test. What she wanted,” Glenns says.</p><p>I nod, “I assumed as much. I just gotta trust that Shane will stay loyal, I think he will, but I’m afraid she’ll use this baby to get him back under her spell.”</p><p>Glenn nods, “I had sex with Maggie.”</p><p>I look at him in complete shock, “You,” I point at him, “Slept with Maggie, while on a run?”</p><p>He nods, “You two could have died, god you horny idiot.”</p><p>“I-”</p><p>“But good for you,” I say after cutting him off.</p><p>He laughs, “You seem to have gone that far with Shane too as of last night,” He mentions.</p><p>“Yeah, it was… amazing,” I say blushing but not out of shame, but in the memory of it, “And I think we’re going to have around two soon so you need to go. Go talk to Dale about you and Maggie or something,” I say shooing him out of my tent.</p><p>Deciding I wanted to show off for Shane I stripped down and pulled out something special for him to find me in.</p><p>I didn’t do it often but finding confidence in my appearance, my more feminine side. Most of it was stuff that my exes wanted to see me in but it slowly turned into something I wanted to see myself in. What was typically labeled women's lingerie found a way of taking back the power of when I was called a sissy boy, or other slurs by my uncle. </p><p>When my shirts were too big and looked like dresses, and my hair grew too long because Petunia didn’t want to do my hair. He’d call me a girl, a sissy, he’d make me do horrendous things. But Shane, Shane let me say yes or no, he didn’t expect anything. He just responded and made sure I was okay at all times.</p><p>Now that I was in the baby doll lingerie and all dolled up for Shane, I sat back down on the bed hoping to god it was Shane who walked in the tent next or I would scream. Waiting was hell, complete hell. </p><p>“Harry, I’m back, Carol ended up making-” Shane walks in seeing me on the bed, dropping the food as he did.</p><p>“Hey Shane,” I say sitting up on my knees to show off the outfit more.</p><p>“Fuck, how- where did you even get this stuff?” He asks </p><p>“I traveled here with that trunk, why would I leave behind things that make me feel pretty?” I say smiling at him, “Do you wanna come closer and check it out?” </p><p>He nods and walks over to the bed, taking off his shirt I gave him slowly as he walks over. Making sure to take account of where it goes this time. When he comes to the edge of the bed I crawl forward, grabbing at his belt.</p><p> </p><p>(SO UM SMUT YA KNOW THE DRILL,  THERE MIGHT BE MORE STORY AFTER SO WATCH OUT FOR THAT)</p><p> </p><p>“Can I blow you?” I whisper into his ear, kissing his neck.</p><p>“You can do whatever you want baby,” He says.</p><p>I smile, “You get on the bed then,” I say and slip off the bed.</p><p>He nods dumbly and sits down, I kneel on the ground, grateful for the cushioning spell that was already in place. I push his legs apart a bit more than they already were. Undoing his belt I threw it to the side and unbutton his pants, pulling them down with his help along with his boxers.</p><p>He sits back down waiting eagerly, I smile at him and lick my lips as I stare at his cock. Licking it from base to tip, swirling around the tip as I made it tip, sucking on it gently as Shane did to me last night. Going slowly so it would last.</p><p>I enjoyed something being, in my mouth, oral fixation and all that. If I wouldn’t have felt like I would have been teased by Ron for having sugar quills, that's all I would have eaten, wouldn’t have mattered where. </p><p>Soon enough he was fully in my mouth, down my throat with ease. Even with the size and the girth of him I was able to swallow him down after a bit of work. All of which seemed to be doing a world of good for him. He was moaning this time, though it was more deep and grunty, it was definitely nice to know he enjoyed my attentions.</p><p>“Fuck,” He said and put his hands in my hair pressing down a bit, not too rough but enough to make him known to my world.</p><p>“I’m so close baby, do you want to swallow it? Or do you want to save it?” He asks I continue working as a response and in no time he’s cumming down my throat.</p><p>I swallow and then pull away, wiping the excess from my mouth. </p><p> </p><p>(FINISHED)</p><p> </p><p>I finally allowed myself to sit back, completely hard in the knickers I put on. </p><p>“Why don’t you get up-”</p><p>“UNCLE HARRY!” I turn my head fast enough to give myself whiplash and then look back to Shane. </p><p>I rush getting up and pulling on pants and throw on a sweater over what I was wearing, running out of the tent. Not caring if Shane was naked at the moment, that was Teddy’s voice, that was my Teddy.</p><p>I looked around as I made it out and before I knew it I had my arms full of him. I was already crying while I hugged him.</p><p>“How’d you get here? I thought you were dead Teddy,” I cry into his hair.</p><p>“Grandma just told me to go, one of those monsters got into the house and she pushed me into the fireplace. I had to hop through so many and chase after you. She had a tracker in your trunk, to make sure you got over safe I think. I just followed where the spell went,” Teddy explains.</p><p>“Andromeda is dead?” I ask him, he nods.</p><p>I hug him closer, “When did this happen, when did she tell you to run?” I ask him.</p><p>“A week ago, she had us holed up until then. Thought the banging at the door was you,” He says crying now as well.</p><p>I run my hands through his hair, and wipe his tears, “It’s okay baby, you found me now. God, I thought about you so much, I hoped to god you were alive.”</p><p>“Me too, I didn’t know what to do, I had to kill those things. I- am I a bad person uncle Harry?”</p><p>“No, no you aren’t they aren’t alive, they’re mindless Teddy. Shells of what they used to be. They aren’t human and you aren’t bad,” I say and hug him close again. </p><p>“Hey, hey you need to stop crying or I never will stop either,” I say laughing, making him laugh back.</p><p>“Come on I want you to meet my boyfriend,” I say, with a smile.</p><p>“You have a boyfriend! Grandma said you would never find one with how slow you were with relationships,” Teddy exclaims, making me laugh. </p><p>“Well, the end of the world changes you a little bit buddy, SHANE!” I yell, calling him out of the tent.</p><p>“So this is Teddy?” Shane says with a smile on his face and fully dressed now.</p><p>I nod, “Yeah, I have to add a for Teddy in the tent as well,” I say and charm the tent so it would have two separate rooms now, making our alcove cover and have privacy still, and Teddy able to has own privacy as well.</p><p>“Good idea,” Shane says, holding me close to him, letting Teddy explore the tent by himself for a bit.</p><p>We step into the tent after a second, taking the moment for a kiss.</p><p>“Shane?”</p><p>“Yes, Harry?” </p><p>“I have my boy back?” I say smiling widely as I see Teddy looking around the ceiling of the tent in wonder. He always loved when I tried new designs.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>Harry's a bit shorter but that's whatever.</p><p>Link for art for those having trouble= https://nuggetboiart.tumblr.com/post/646315436910297088</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please leave ideas, pleaseeeee, and comments,  and critics I need something to interrupt my writing. Like I couldn't even wait a day it's that bad.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Oh Baby</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A tiny bit shorter chapter, but the next one is going to be so much longer. I got a lot to put in it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In the next few weeks, all I did was focus on Teddy, Shane was a big help as well. Always making sure to come help when he could while also doing training for everyone on the farm. Hershel’s girls even wanted to join in, seeming as Otis had broken his ankle a week ago while running in the woods to hunt. Even mending it I had to give him time to recover, it was a slow recovery but life was moving and so was everyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hershel ended up allowing Teddy to help in the kitchen with me, or just letting him go and sit with Carl. Teddy had brought a bag of his own, food, games, books, even a few knives while I scolded but praised him for. It was dangerous but he had to have them on him for them to be of use. That’s where our first fight with Hershel went down. Weapons. He didn’t like to see us armed up on the farm, saying it wasn’t needed. It took me hours to explain and convince him to allow knives and we’d keep the guns away unless someone was on watch or patrol or training. Shane wasn’t the happiest with that but understood we were staying here for Carl’s sake, and he still had to heal internally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he had gotten up when we first woke up I could only imagine what damage he could have done. He didn’t like that he had to stay in the bed but about a week ago I started letting him out of bed and taking walks with Sophia and Teddy. They reminded me of when Ron and Hermione, and I were still young and in school. Somehow they probably had more going on than we did back then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hit six weeks we showed up at the farm today, I noticed Lori puking now. She hadn’t told a soul it seemed, even after Glenn, me, and Maggie went and got her the abortion pills. I was starting to wonder if I should say something or talk to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I woke up in bed with Shane once again, just in a pair of knickers. We ended up having a lot of sex, I only had small freakouts and learned some of my triggers that I didn’t know I still had. But Shane took it in strides, holding me close and letting me cry it out when I freaked out. Teddy had witnessed it when Merle had clapped his hand down on my shoulder too hard while I was cooking one time. I stayed in bed for the rest of the day after that it seemed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, I started to get more emotional too it seemed, I was always crying, now starting to get nauseous and throwing up. That was one of those mornings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Harry?” Shane questions as I throw myself out of bed and run outside. Puking up in front of the tent violently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh god,” I say and see it’s still early morning, no one around thank god I was still in just my knickers. Heading back inside after I vanished the vomit I head inside to get dressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry? This has been happening too often, are you sick?” Shane asks me, worriedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shove on my pants, “Maybe, but I feel better now. Maybe I have a stomach bug, I’ll just take a pepper-up potion and I should be fine okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay I just don’t like this,” Shane says hugging me close as I button up my pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew!” Teddy yells heading back into his side of the tent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blush, that also happened too much, “Get your clothes on Shane,” I say teasingly, pushing him away with a peck on the cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I slip on my shirt and head into Teddy's room, “Hey bud, sorry about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you wake up throwing up again?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “Yeah, don’t worry though it's nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Grandma said my mommy threw up every morning for months with me in her tummy, is that what’s happening to you Uncle?” Teddy questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look at him in shock, “Why would you say that buddy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My friend Todd has two dads, and one of the dads got the other pregnant. So are you pregnant too?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you go see if Carl’s up yet, he must be so bored with how often he’s in that bed healing,” I say straining to make a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay!” Teddy runs off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I head out of his side and see Shane putting his knives in the right holsters. I come up and give him a quick peck, “I think I’m going to do a supply run with Glenn we haven’t gone in a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, be safe,” He says and kisses me back. We walk together out of the tent and then go to wake people up. Amy was already up by then hanging out at the house with Beth, the two of them would gossip all the time. It reminded me of the schoolgirls at Hogwarts, always knowing everything or a stretch of everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coming to Glenn’s tent I shake it a bit, he comes out a minute later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey what’s up?” He says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to go on a supply run, so maybe we can go together or we can bring Maggie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good, we gonna go after breakfast?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “You can find out if she wants to go, Romeo,” I say, smirking. They were on and off at this point. She seemed to want to be with him and he wanted that too but with us probably leaving soon and her dad’s views they stayed apart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I headed up to the house afterward and cooked up some easy food. Oatmeal, eggs, and some venison bacon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steering away from the eggs like Lori did every morning I ate oatmeal and bacon. Afterward, I got up and found Glenn and Maggie waiting, pieces of the bacon in hand as they ate by the horses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready to go Harry?” Glenn asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks for coming guys,” I smile and hop on the horse Glenn was riding. It was easier than having me take another horse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> The ride into town was quiet, soon enough we were at the shop they had raided every so often. I looked around and found feminine hygiene while they found other things we needed for the farm. Picking up the test I grabbed two more and shoved them in my pants. Standing up I saw the two of them heading behind the counter of the pharmacy. I shook my head and started to walk out to give them some privacy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NO! HELP!” I hear Maggie scream, seeing a walker grab hold of her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I run back there, taking out a knife. Stabbing it through the head while Glenn was still looking for something to kill it with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, I thought this place was clear? Are you okay? Did it bite you?” I ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck!” She screamed angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I backed up, “I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did we even come here for! You almost got me killed!” She yelled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I bit my lip and backed up more, “I- I’m sorry, Maggie, I wouldn’t have had you come if that was going to happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maggie, calm it a little. This happened to us all the time in the city,” Glenn says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glenn, shut up, I want to know why he brought us here. Why the hell we risked coming out here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I gulped and pulled out the tests shaking, “I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shane we need to talk,” Lori says, to Shane when he finishes his lessons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it Lori, we haven’t talked in weeks. I’ve moved on, I’m with someone great, so remember that while you say whatever you’re going to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pregnant, and it’s yours,” She says, “I’ve known for weeks but I didn’t know how to tell anyone. I almost took pills to get rid of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane stares at her in shock, “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pregnant, it’s yours so I’d break up with that hussy of yours already and take some fucking responsibility,” She says crossing her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you told Rick?” Shane asks her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, of course not,” She says huffing, “It’s not his baby, and he barely talks to me. It’s always about Carl when he does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori, you did that to yourself. You should go tell your husband about this because yes I’ll take responsibility but I’m with Harry. I love Harry, and that’s not changing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No buts, go tell your husband or don’t. Harry can always do an abortion for you,” Shane walks away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane gets just far enough away before hitting a tree, “Fuck, Harry’s not going to be happy about this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You what?! Why do you even need that?” She screams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I start to cry after that, making her stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, I’m sorry Harry- I just- that was so fucking scary,” She tries to walk closer to me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I continue to back up, shaking my head, “Some wizards can get pregnant, I didn’t think I was one since I’ve been with other men and never conceived even when we didn’t use condoms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think you’re-” Glenn says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “I've been throwing up for a week almost, and I’ve been so moody lately.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie nods, “You cried when you dropped an egg yesterday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “That was really sad though okay,” I say trying to laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles, “I’m sorry I yelled at you, that was uncalled for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shake my head, “No you could have got bitten. Because I was too afraid to go alone out here if there was a chance I was pregnant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glenn and Maggie look at each other, “We let a possibly pregnant dude come out on a supply run,” Glenn says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods with Glenn, “Let’s get this stuff home, and Harry, god I can’t believe you came out here at all Harry!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I hug myself, “Sorry, I- I just, I could let you two go alone when it’s something for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both shake their heads and get me back to the farm after that, just in time for lunch. Glenn rode me to the house before heading to the barn with Maggie to put the houses away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I walked into the house seeing Teddy and Carl playing wizarding chess in the living room. I smile and walk over to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s the game going?” I ask them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, Teddy keeps winning though,” Carl says, scratching his head as he plays.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod and lean down and kiss Teddy’s head, “You two make sure to get some lunch okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They nod and I head up to the bathroom in the house opening the packaging of all three of the tests after I lock the door. Peeing on all three I wait for the results, my heart in my stomach. How could I bring a baby into this world? How would Shane even react?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I start to cry, trying to keep myself as quiet as possible. The second I stop I check the tests, gasping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant,” I look at them in disbelief, “fuck…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry? You in here?” I hear Shane knock at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I stand up and hold the tests in my hand openly, there was no point in hiding it. I open the door and shove the tests at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surprise,” I say and start crying more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulls me into his arms, “Lori’s pregnant too, she told me today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look up at him in disbelief, “She finally told you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You knew?” He asks, shocked pushing me away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not for sure, Shane I promise I didn’t know for sure, I thought she took the abortion pills she had me and Glenn get,” I say, quickly, “Please don’t be mad, it- that wasn’t my news to tell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you suspect it, Harry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The day Teddy showed up, I was considering telling you but then he just. He just appeared Shane, what was I supposed to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane just stares at me, “You kept it from me for that long?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, I’m sorry Shane, I’m so sorry,” I repeat crying more now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks away, “Okay, but Harry, we’re together now, we’re boyfriends. I love you, you can’t keep things from me. At Least you told me about this,” He says, holding up the tests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You love me?” I say blinking through the tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighs and nods, “Yeah I love you, and I’m going to love this little guy or girl as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too, I love you so much. Thank you for not being mad!” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck, hugging him close. He kisses my neck gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go get some food in you, you’re eating for two,” He says smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have two baby mommas,” I say laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane rolls his eyes, “I’ll love both the babies, but I love you and I don’t love her. Don’t worry about that okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “I didn’t worry about it even before, she hurt you. I don’t know how you could ever go back to that even with a child involved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shane kisses me again, “Thank you for trusting me, even if you kept it from me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise I wanted to tell you, but if I was in her place and I wasn’t ready to tell you I’d hope she would keep it to herself and let me break the news.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, walking downstairs I see Beth had put out the food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for making food Beth,” I say with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting some for myself, Shane right behind me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merle and Daryl walk in after we sit down, “Tinkerbell we caught boar, thinking we could cook it on the fire outside tonight and have a bonfire,” Daryl says to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good, you two have been getting some good game recently,” I say making conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, this area is pretty good for hunting for now,” Merle says, “Though it’s getting to be a little bit colder.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, we’d been here for more than a month so it made sense. I think everyone was getting really comfortable when we wouldn’t be able to stay much longer. Carl was getting so much better and we had another week before he’d be good for any travel we wanted to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I didn’t like that thought, seeing as I was now pregnant and so was Lori. We’d already stayed so long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I finished eating then headed into my tent, Shane on my heel as we entered together. I laid down on our bed tiredly. I was getting more tired by the day, and it would only get worse, wizard pregnancies were always harder, since the baby was using your magic to live and grow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I turned over and decided to take a nap, Shane getting in next to me, allowing me to cuddle close to him as I fell asleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Harry,” I feel myself shaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wha?” I say tiredly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dinner time honey, remember we’re going to have a barbecue outside,” Shane says, I nod remembering. I wipe the drool from my mouth and smile embarrassed at how deeply I slept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Teddy’s already out there sitting with Carl,” I smile and get up. Wanting to see Teddy and tell him the good news.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We leave the tent together and sit next to Teddy at the fire. Everyone was chatting and laughing, except for Lori who was quiet. I couldn’t tell what she was up to but I didn’t like it. Trying to ignore that though I hugged Teddy close to me, seeing he had changed his hair color to blue tonight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blue hair?” I ask laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Carl said he wanted to see what I would look like with it,” Teddy says smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have some good news for you,” I say to him quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it, Uncle Harry?” He says excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pregnant, you’re gonna be a big brother,” I say smiling</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’M GONNA BE A BIG BROTHER!” Teddy exclaims excitedly, making everyone’s heads turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I gulp, “Yeah, you are, I’m pregnant,” I say turning away to see the looks of shock on everyone’s faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How the heck Tinkerbell,” Merle says in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Magic?” I say smiling painfully, “I’m a carrier, I just didn’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Carrier?” Dale asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“THIS IS WHY SHANE REJECTED ME AND MY CHILD?! BECAUSE OF THIS FREAKY TRAMP?!!!” Lori screams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I stared at her in disbelief, Shane puts a hand on my shoulder and stands up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry told me just today after you tried to get me to break up with him because of your baby. I would never be with you ever again, even if I wasn’t with Harry,” Shane tells her plainly. Looking over at Rick who was in shock, “You didn’t even tell him yet, really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori, I can’t believe you. I’ve been trying to forgive you, working on us and you were pregnant this whole time. Keeping it from me, keeping another thing from me,” Rick yells at her, getting up and heading to their tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tears up and starts to cry. I just stare in shock, pure disbelief. The audacity she had, she hadn’t even told Rick until then and announced she basically wanted to cuck Rick. I hold Teddy close to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s not very nice,” Teddy says, frowning, “She called you mean names.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry?” I hear Carl say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I look over to him, “Yes, Carl?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I stay with you and Teddy tonight,” He asks quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod, “Yeah, of course. It can be like a sleepover for you and Teddy,” I say, trying to ignore Lori’s crocodile tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jesus bitch if you’re going to keep crying like just go away,” Merle says angrily, “Call Tinkerbell a fucking tramp and a freak, fucking lying cheating bitch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I cover my mouth to keep from laughing as she runs off after that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So um, you guys have seen anything cool while hunting?” I want the easy-going mood back. Daryl telling a story about how he thought he saw a chupacabra and asking me if those were real. The happy mood returned as I held a hand to my stomach, Shanes falling over it as we sat and talked to everyone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shane and I sat in our bed later that night listening to the two boys in the room next to us giggling and laughing. Like what just happened didn’t matter, just the two of them able to put it all in the back of their heads and tell stories about mythical creatures.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re gonna need to find someplace close if we’re going to have two babies on the way in the group,” I say after a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I don’t think fort Benning is going to work. We can try but honestly, I just want somewhere for you and our baby to be safe. Doesn’t matter where.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nod in agreement, “I still can’t believe I’m pregnant. I can’t believe I didn’t know I was a carrier either. I’m a freaking healer for merlin’s sake and I didn’t put it together until Teddy mentioned that he had a friend with two dads.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you didn’t know, that’s okay. We know now, even if it took a baby to let us know,” He says kissing me deeply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smile as we pull away, “I’m honestly so scared but excited for this baby. I always want kids of my own. Teddy’s basically my child but I always wanted one that would be mine, like really mine. Something I created and brought into the world. Raising from the moment they were introduced to the world until they stopped needing me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never got the chance to settle down before this. Never found the right gal or guy but I won’t ever let anything happen to you two or to Teddy,” Shane says confidently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, cause I’m gonna need it, this little one is draining me every second. They’re gonna be a powerful witch or wizard just like their mommy,” I say smiling and rubbing my belly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mommy?” He asks with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blush, “Shush up, I like it okay. Moms are always there for their children. Mom’s are amazing, and I want to be just like mine. Willing to risk it all for my baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you’re going to be a great mother honey,” Shane says smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to be a great dad, make sure they know how to protect themselves, be independent and I’ll teach them to accept help when needed. You’re still learning that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughs, “What do you say we work on another one since you’re so excited for this one?” Shane says pulling me on top of his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smirk, “Well they can’t be all alone in there, that’s going to get really lonely.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Harry's preggers now, yay! I always thought Carl healed too fast in the show. Like basically took two days and was walking around? Yeah no, not even with magic would I let that fly. Plus I needed the time to have harry find out. We're going to deal with walkers in the barn, and I think I'm going to combine what I need from the episode after that with Lori crashing the car going after Rick.<br/>If you have any ideas, critics, etc. please leave it below I loved reading all the comments I got yesterday and while this is a shorter chapter it's more filler than anything to get where we need to go. Also should I draw some nsfw for the ship?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Tragic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Finally finished, this one was harder to write, had to pull from three different episodes with how much I changed in the last two. Did some artwork, always better at not drawing clothes ;) and you gotta love references to help :) which inspired the end of the chapter. There are two warnings, both could be triggering one's in the middle almost and will be indicated from where it starts to where it ends, you can either read or not but there is content past that, the second one is the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>When I wake up in the morning I groan, sitting up in the bed. I already knew Shane would be asleep for a bit longer. Getting out of the bed I pull on my clothes and head over to Teddy’s room, pulling the curtain to see him and Carl cuddling on his bed. </p><p>I smiled and let it fall closed, I didn’t want to have the loud alarm this morning. Not when we’d have to deal with all of the aftermaths of last night when everyone was awake. Heading out to where we all ate last night I cook up some breakfast and wait for everyone to come out of their tents. Eating my food and enjoying the good weather. Taking in the quiet and calmness that never seemed to appear anymore.</p><p>Slowly people tiredly walk over waving at me and pick up their food.</p><p>“Should we really work on scheduling who will make food when,” Dale says, “I can’t let a pregnant person make all the meals.”</p><p>I just smile, “That’s nice Dale but until I’m completely forced to bed rest we’ll be fine.”</p><p>Shane comes out of our tent with the two boys in tow, sitting down next to me after kissing my cheek. </p><p>“What y’all talking bout,” Shane asks tiredly.</p><p>“Dale was just talking about making a schedule for who will cook each day since I’m pregnant now, and I was telling him I would do it until I’m bedridden,” I explain to him, taking another bite. Looking over to make sure Teddy and Carl had gotten their food.</p><p>“I do like Dale’s idea, you’re already getting more tired than usual,” Shane agrees with Dale.</p><p>I look at him in faux anger, “I’m pregnant, not inept.”</p><p>“It would ease my worry if you let others do it a bit more often, no matter how much I enjoy your food,” Shane says.</p><p>I just kept eating my food knowing I had lost and this was going to happen. Heck, I was going to be allowed to do fewer things in general now. Being pregnant and a man at that who was actually more fragile than if a woman was pregnant. I couldn’t over exhaust myself, I couldn’t do too much magic at all or risk miscarrying. I’d seen it happen with my patients before, had to direct them to a therapist or mind healer sometimes with how bad the trauma was. I felt for each and every one of them, and I couldn’t let that happen to my little one.</p><p>“As long as you guys try not to get massively hurt we should be fine,” I say, “I don’t know just how much healing magic I can use.”</p><p>“We’ll all try,” Jim says as he sits down having heard me talking as he walked up.</p><p>Merle and Daryl showing up after, I was happy they were sitting and hanging out with the group more. More so happy that they weren’t as outcast as before, heck even Merle had stopped with the slurs and overly racial comments. Which is not perfect but better than how he was before.</p><p>“So Tinkerbell, when’s the baby due?” Daryl asks me.</p><p>I do a quick spell to check just how far along I was, “looks like I’m about 6 weeks and two days along, so I still have 32 to 34 weeks so sometime in April I’ll give birth.”</p><p>“When will you know the gender of the baby?” Shane asks me.</p><p>“I’ll take at least a couple of months, you can find out around 18 to 24 weeks even with magic,” I said shrugging, “I’ll be happy either way, just want them to be happy and healthy.”</p><p>Shane nods, “Same here, can’t wait for the little guy or girl to be here.”</p><p>“Tinkerbell stop with the mushy stuff, you’re gonna make me throw up my breakfast,” Merle jokes.</p><p>I stick my tongue out at him and kiss Shane in spite. Sitting back in my chair after the kids yelled ew, Sophia included now, Carol having come in the middle of that with her. I look around and see Glenn walking up like he was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. My brows furrow as he walks up.</p><p>“There are walkers in the barn,” He says right as Andrea walks up with Amy right behind him.</p><p> </p><p>“You cannot tell me you’re all right with this,” Andrea yells at Rick.</p><p>“No I’m not, but we’re guests here. This isn’t our land,” Rick tries to ration with her.</p><p>“This is our lives! You have a kid on the way and Harry is pregnant!” Andrea yells.</p><p>“Lower your voice,” Glenns tells Amy.</p><p>“We can’t just sweep this under the rug, there is real life at stake here,” She says, “Like my sister, and little children.”</p><p>“What are you suggesting Andrea?” I ask, “because I don’t like it as much as the next person here, I have a lot to lose as well but we can’t just be rash in our decisions.”</p><p>“We have got to get out of here, leave as we should’ve already-”</p><p>“You know why we couldn’t, and we still can't. Carl needs at least another week before I’m confident that he can and should be allowed to leave.”</p><p>“Harry’s right we can’t go,” Rick says.</p><p>“Why, Rick? Why?” Andrea asks him, throwing her arms up in anger.</p><p>“Because we have two pregnant people, one of them being my wife and Harry. How could we possibly move right now?”</p><p>“Okay. okay, I think it’s time that we all start to just think about other options on that then,” Andrea says looking me and Lori up and down.</p><p>I look at her in horror, Lori does as well. Looking over at Shane, seeing his pissed face and clenched hands I knew this couldn’t go in any direction.”</p><p>“Andrea, you’re going to need to stop right there,” Rick says, jaw clenched.</p><p>“We have a week at least before we’re moving at all,” I say, “And if you ever suggest that I or Lori abort our babies I won’t be nice. I’ll be downright cruel, I don’t care if you’re a girl you don’t threaten my child or any other child's life on this farm.”</p><p>“I’m just saying, it’d be easier on everyone. I mean y’all the ones stupid enough to get pregnant with the world the way it is. All I see is a couple of mistakes that are going to get us killed.”</p><p>I look at Lori who was already in tears, walking up into Andrea’s face having to look up slightly, “Say that again.”</p><p>“Harry, come on, she's not worth it,” Shane says, pulling me back. </p><p>As he does I see Lori stomp her way to Andrea and slap her across her face. Hard. I smile a little, I guess she was good for something. </p><p>Everyone is shouting now, I plug my ears getting a headache from it all.</p><p>“Back off!” Rick yells.</p><p>Rick gets between Lori and Andrea, pushing Andrea and Lori back slightly with his arms.</p><p>“Keep your damn hands off me,” Andrea says angrily.</p><p>“No, just let me talk to Hershel. Let me figure it out,” Rick tries to reason.</p><p>“What are you gonna figure out?!” Andrea yells.</p><p>“If we’re gonna stay, if we’re gonna clear this barn, I have to talk him into it. This is his land.”</p><p>“Hershel sees those things in there as people, sick people, his wife, his stepson,” Dale tells Rick.</p><p>“You knew?” Rick asks Dale.</p><p>“Yesterday I talked to Hershel,” Dale says.</p><p>“And you waited the night?” Andrea says in an accusatory tone.</p><p>“I thought we could survive one more night. We did. I was waiting till this morning to say something. But Glenn wanted to be the one,” Dale sighs.</p><p>“The man is crazy, Rick, if Hershel thinks those things are alive or not,” Andrea yells.</p><p>Chains rattle in the barn the groaning of the walkers getting louder and then growling just as loud.</p><p> </p><p>We walked back to the main area of our camp by the house after the walkers started to react to the noises of our fighting. Mostly in fear they’d get out and we weren’t even completely armed.</p><p>I was on edge now, holding my stomach in fear. It was not good for my baby how stressed this was making me. Keeping close to Shane was helping some but I didn’t like the thoughts that were swirling around in my head.</p><p>“What did Andrea mean when she said ‘options’ mom?” Carl asks Lori.</p><p>“Nothing baby, she was just angry and scared like the rest of us,” She responds.</p><p>I looked down sadly at the boy. Teddy didn’t seem as affected by what he heard, he hung out at St. Mungos when Andromeda couldn’t take care of him and I was working. He knew what she meant, there were plenty of douchebags coming in trying to convince their affairs to abort. I knew he would tell Carl later, but only if Carl asked.</p><p>“Of the wakers in the barn?” Carl asks Lori.</p><p>“Yeah,” Lori nods to him.</p><p>“Mom, I don’t want to leave, it's not safe anywhere mom,” Carl says, and hearing that breaks my heart. I’m crying now, wiping at my eyes so it can stop. Shane hugs me close to him.</p><p>“Well, we’re not leaving, Carl. You finish those problems, then you can help Teddy if he needs it,” Lori says, she looks over at me. I couldn’t read any emotion on her face, I only hoped she was changing. That she was starting to realize I wasn’t an enemy just because Shane didn’t want to be with her anymore. </p><p>“I just- I just think that the babies are gonna like it here. This place, it could be a home,” Carl says, Teddy looks over at him and smiles.</p><p>“It’s nice, never been to a place as pretty.”</p><p> </p><p>I headed back inside the tent, the kids in Teddy’s room playing and reading books. Lori let Carl come without any resistance, seeming to prefer it actually. Understanding that he was safest around me and Shane who was here with me. Currently giving me a massage that was definitely calming me down which I needed majorly.</p><p>I could feel the magic that was keeping my baby alive calming down, less erratic. It was odd the way it felt but it wasn’t something I didn’t enjoy. The whole pregnancy thing was definitely something I never thought I would get to do. Shane made it possible somehow with him it happened and somehow it happened at the worst time but we’re going to make it work I just know it.</p><p>“Babe?” I hear Shane say.</p><p>“Hmm?” </p><p>“I’m going to go find Rick and start our search, I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Shane says, waiting for me to turn around. Finally rolling over I lean my head up for a kiss, he complies then leaves me alone. </p><p>Keeping my hands pressed to my stomach as he leaves I explore the calm magic centered where the fetus was. Where my little bean was. I smile to myself, looking up at the decorated ceiling. The shining fairy lights, hanging drapes, glimmering gold thread.</p><p>“Harry!” I hear Teddy yell as he jumps on my bed next to me, Carl and Sophia following.</p><p>“Well hello there Teddy?” I say laughing.</p><p>“Shane told us to keep you company,” Carl says smiling.</p><p>“Oh did he now?” I say and look at them all, they nod.</p><p>“Yep, can we learn some more wizardry stuff,” Carl asks me excitedly?</p><p>“How do you feel about potions then?” I say getting up off my bed.</p><p>Teddy smiled happily, “I can show Carl how to cut the ingredients!” Teddy says happily.</p><p>“That you can, we’ll be making some pregnancy-related potions. Teddy, you’ve done one year of potions passed with flying colors so you’ll be watching the second potion. It’s essentially like prenatal vitamins on steroids, fairly easy, and doesn’t require much skill. I’ll be making the more advanced magic stabilizer potion. That will be for emergencies only, it's an important potion to have on hand in case my magic goes haywire. Teddy, what would that mean for my baby?” I ask him to put on my teacher's voice. </p><p>I’ve been tutoring him since he was 8, he enjoyed learning more than any other kid I knew. Reminded me of Hermione honestly.</p><p>“You would lose the baby,” Teddy says sadly.</p><p>“So, everyone while I’m making this be careful while I teach you all to handle certain ingredients and Teddy will take over whenever I need to focus really hard okay?” I address them all.</p><p>I lead them all to the potion area getting the ingredients we’d need for the two potions, giving a potion book with notes on how to make the potion Teddy would be leading the kids in. </p><p>“Here are your instructions, now let’s get this started,” I say smiling.</p><p> </p><p>“You look like you should be in line for the early bird special. Go get your cap. I’ll wash it for you, okay?” Maggie says to Glenn.</p><p>“Do you know what’s going on?” T-Dog asks Shane.</p><p>“Where is everyone?” Shane asks, exasperated.</p><p>“You haven’t seen Rick,” Glenn asks Shane.</p><p>“He went off with Hershel. We were supposed to leave a couple of hours ago,” Shane says angrily.</p><p>“You were. What the hell,” Daryl says as he walks up.</p><p>“Rick told us he was going out,” Carol says to them.</p><p>“Damn it. Isn’t anybody taking this seriously? We have two pregnant people, one of which I actually care about. Then a damn barn of walkers hanging over our heads here,” Daryl says just as angrily as Shane was.</p><p>Andrea looks at Daryl grabbing a gun, “You with me, man?” Andrea asks Daryl.</p><p>“Wait what the hell?” Shane asks.</p><p>“Yeah,” Daryl says.</p><p>“Time to grow up,” Andrea says.</p><p>“We all have people we want to protect but this is not the way to go about it,” Shane says, trying to cool off the situation.</p><p>“Thought we couldn’t carry,” T-Dog asks.</p><p>“We can and we have to. Look, it was one thing sitting around here picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it ain’t. How about you, man? You gonna protect yours?” Andrea eggs Shane on.</p><p>Shane looks away and grabs a gun, if this was going to happen he wasn’t letting anyone get hurt by being led by Andrea. Yeah, she was kinda a good shot but he hadn’t been able to get to where she needed to be yet.</p><p>“Can you stop? You do this, you hand these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight,” Maggie says, trying to get in front of them.</p><p>“We have to stay, Shane,” Carl says having just come out of the tent to see what was going on.</p><p>“What is this?” Lori asks. </p><p> </p><p>I finally head out of the tent, new potions stocked, one dose of the magic stabilizer around my neck in a necklace.</p><p>“We ain’t going anywhere, okay? Now look, Hershel, he’s just gotta understand. Okay? He, well, he’s gonna have to. Now we need to have a place if we’re keeping the damn babies. Am I right? Huh?” Andrea says, getting most on board.</p><p>“Shane, get over here, we shouldn’t be doing this. Where is Rick?” I ask, looking around.</p><p>Shane looks over at me, “Harry I can’t let you get hurt and she’s opening that barn up no matter what.”</p><p>I look at him pain showing on my face and nod.</p><p>“Rick said no guns. This is not your call Andrea. This is not your decision to make,” Lori says.</p><p>“Oh shit,” T-Dog says watching Jimmy clapping, Rick and Hershel leading Walkers into the barn.</p><p>“What is that? What is that?” Andrea yells running off, I follow with everyone else, “What the hell are you doing?”</p><p>“Andrea, you need to back off,” Rick says to her.</p><p>“Why do your people have guns?” Hershel asks, anger evident on his face.</p><p>“Are you kidding me? Do you see? You see what they’re holding onto?” Andrea asks angrily, “All for what? Putting my sister in danger.”</p><p>“I see who I’m holding onto,” Hershel says.</p><p>“No you don’t,” Andrea says to him.</p><p>“Andrea, just let us do this and then we can talk,” Rick says to her.</p><p>“What you want to talk about? These things aren’t sick. They’re not people. They’re dead. Not going to feel anything for them because all they do is kill, and eat. These things right here, they’re the things that almost killed Amy. Almost kill Sophia, and will kill all of us.”</p><p>“Andrea, shit it!” Rick yells at her.</p><p>“Hey, Hershel, could a human walk away from this?” Andrea asks Hershel and shoots the walkers in the chest.</p><p>I covered Teddy’s eyes, hugging him close to me.</p><p>“No! Stop It!” Rick yells at her.</p><p>“That’s three rounds in the! No human would be able to take that and live! They are not ALIVE!” Andrea yells. </p><p>“Andrea please stop,” Amy screams crying. Andrea keeps shooting and egging Hershel on.</p><p>“Please!” Amy cries more, being held back by Carol.</p><p>“That’s enough!” Rick yells.</p><p>“You know what you’re right, it is enough,” Andrea says, walking towards the barn, shooting off the lock, letting the walkers out. Everyone backs up. Guns held high as the walkers funneled out.</p><p>Shooting them dead as Hershel was on the ground on his knees watching.</p><p> </p><p>Hershel rushing into the house, Andrea following behind screaming obscenities. I walked the kids back, getting them away from all the bloodshed they just had to watch. I couldn’t look at Shane, I understood why but we were going to be out of here and out on the road by tonight. Carl was barely back in shape for it, and I couldn’t do much with my magic with the way I am right now.</p><p>I sit in the tent with the kids with me in my bed, all scared but not overly traumatized, thank Merlin for that. They were looking over another book, this one with all the ingredients you can find in forests and what they would look like and how to gather them. It was good knowledge and the kids seemed interested enough. I got out my medical journal looking over the male pregnancy section once again, making sure not to miss any detail.</p><p> </p><p>(WARNING POSSIBLY TRIGGERING MATERIAL DESCRIBING MISCARRIAGE)</p><p> </p><p>“Harry? Can I see you for a moment,” I hear Lori say, her head popping into the curtain to my room. </p><p>I look up from my book and nod, “Yeah, kids I’ll be right back. Teddy, you know where my extra books are if you get bored of that one.”</p><p>I get up from the bed and head outside of the tent with Lori, “So what’s up,” I ask. Taking in her face of pain. Starting to worry now I look her in the eyes, “Lori?”</p><p>“I think I’m miscarrying,” She says, her voice breaking as she spoke. </p><p>“Can you describe exactly why you think that?” I ask her.</p><p>“I’ve been getting cramps ever since Rick left with Shane and Glenn to get Hershel. I- It hurts so bad, and I’m bleeding. Is there anything you can do?” She asks me desperately.</p><p>“There’s not much I can do, unfortunately, I have some pain reliever potions and extra sanitary pads. You’ll want to use them for the next couple of days. Get lots of rest, and Lori?”</p><p>“Yes,” She cries softly.</p><p>“We might not have the best history but no one deserves to go through this. No one,” I say hugging her.</p><p>“Rick will be back soon, I’ll make sure he knows. If you want to lay down for a bit with me and the kids I’d be alright with it. My bed’s a whole lot comfier than your tent.”</p><p>She smiles a little, “Please,” I smile and lead her into the tent after she heads up into the house to change her underwear and get cleaned up. </p><p>After taking a shower she lays with me and the kids. Carl seemed to sense something wrong with his mother. But noticed that I and she weren’t at odds again, taking the chance that presented itself to cuddle up to her. I smiled, Teddy laid next to me, soon enough Carol came in as well wanting to know if everything was okay. </p><p>Even with everything seemingly up in the air today we managed to keep calm, waiting for Shane, Rick, and Carl to get back. Daryl stopped by to tell us that Merle took everyone but him and T-Dog out to try and find somewhere to stay like Rick and Shane were supposed to before.</p><p>Waiting was killing me but I couldn’t let myself get so worked up. I wasn’t the type to stay behind, to hide in a tent, I was someone who did things, who fought. The only thing keeping me is my baby and with Lori just having miscarried; I was ten times as scared of having the same thing happen to me.</p><p> </p><p>(AND YOU’RE SAFE!)</p><p> </p><p>Rick fires off his gun killing the man who tried to attack him. Glenn, Rick, Shane, and Hershel taking over.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Glenn says.</p><p>“Holy shit is right,” Shane says, the entire thing happening now was crazy. </p><p>“You all right?” Rick asks Glenn.</p><p>“Yeah,” Glenn nods.</p><p>“Hershel? Shane?” Rick asks the two of them after.</p><p>“Yea,” Shane nods.</p><p>“Let’s head back,” Hershel says.</p><p>Tires screech outside the bar, they all look at each other, Shane already ducking down like Rick.</p><p>“Care. Car. Get down,” Rick yells.</p><p>As they hide they hear the engine of the car stop, doors opening and closing.</p><p>“Dave? Tony? They said over here?” A man says.</p><p>“Yea,” Another man says.</p><p>“I’m telling you, man, I heard gunshots,” A third man speaks.</p><p>“I saw roamers two streets over. Might be more around here,” The second man speaks.</p><p>Shane stared at Rick, both trying to figure out what to do.</p><p>“It’s hot. We gotta get out of here,” The first man who spoke says.</p><p>“Dave! Tony!” The third man shouts.</p><p>“Shut up, you idiot! You wanna attract ‘em? Just stick close. We’re gonna find ‘em</p><p>“Dude, he said to stay close. Tony,” The second man says keeping the third close to him, they continue to look around.</p><p> </p><p>“They should’ve been back by now,” Andrea says angrily, to T-Dog and Daryl.</p><p>“They probably got holed up somewhere. We’ll just have to head out in the morning,” Daryl says to her, “Everyone else is back. I thought you’d be happy Hershel wasn’t here. We got one more night because of it.”</p><p>Andrea crossed her arms heading off to where Amy was sitting. Amy hadn’t spoken to her all day, and Beth wouldn’t talk to Amy. It was a circle that Andrea started and she wasn’t happy with her one bit.</p><p> </p><p>“Why won’t they leave?” Glenn whispers.</p><p>“Would you?” Hershel asks Glenn.</p><p>“Harry must be so worried,” Shane says </p><p>“We can’t sit here any longer. Let’s head out the back and make a run to the car,” Rick says to the other. Shane nods his agreement.</p><p>A gun fires off.</p><p>“What happened?” The first man said.</p><p>“Roamers, I nailed ‘em. I cleared those buildings. You guys get this one?” They say </p><p>“No,” The man replies looking to the third, “Me neither.”</p><p>“We’re looking for Dave and Tony and no one checks the damn bar?” The second says to the other two, looking at the two of them like their idiots.</p><p>They start to enter the bar.</p><p>“What?” The second man says.</p><p>“Someone pushed it shut. There’s someone in there,” The third man observes, “Yo, is someone in there? Yo, if someone’s in there, we don’t want any trouble. We’re just looking for our friends.” </p><p>“What do we do?”</p><p>“Bum rush the door?”</p><p>“No, we don’t know how many there are. Just relax,” the second man says, trying to calm them, “We don’t want any trouble. We’re just looking for our friends. If something happened, tell us. This place is crawling with corpses. If you can help us not get killed I’d appreciate it,” Getting no answer he looks to the other two,  “You’re bugging. I’m telling you nobody is there.”</p><p>“Someone guard the door. If they’re in there, they might know where Dave and Tony are,” They then split up in the bar.</p><p>Rick looks to Shane, standing up. Shane looks at him like he’s crazy.</p><p>“They drew on us!” Rick yells.</p><p>“Dave and Tony in there? They alive?” </p><p>“No,” Rick says, his gun raised.</p><p>“They killed Dave and Tony,” The 2nd man says.</p><p>“Come on, man, let’s go,” The first man says.</p><p>“No, I’m not leaving, I’m not telling Jane. I’m not gonna go back and tell them that Dave and Tony got shot by some assholes in a bar.”</p><p>“You’re friends drew on us! They gave us no choice! I’m sure we’ve all lost enough people, done things we wish we didn’t have to, but it’s like that now. You know that! So let’s just chalk this up to what is was-wrong place, wrong-” </p><p>Rick doesn’t get to finish his sentence before one of the men shoot off their shotgun.</p><p>“Get outta here! Go!” Rick yells, Shane, Glenn, and Hershel taking off, Rick following.</p><p>Getting behind cover when they can.</p><p>“Hey! We all know this is not gonna end well! There’s nothing in it for any of us! You guys just-just back off, no one else gets hurt!” Rick yells.</p><p>“Rick we gotta get out of here,” Shane looks over at Rick gun out to take shots at the men when he can. Terrified he wouldn’t be making it home to Harry, Carl, and Teddy.</p><p>Getting shot at constantly, bottles breaking, stairs creaking as they try to get an above approach. The man who shot off the shotgun doing it again and shooting Glenn in the leg, skimming it but still doing damage.</p><p>“Glenn! Glenn!” Rick yells, keeping his eyes forward unable to take the chance of looking away.</p><p>“I- I’m all right. I’m all right,” Glenn says to Rick, getting behind the bar more, so he can take proper cover.</p><p>“I’ll hold ‘em here. You cover Glenn,” Rick says to Shane, “Hershel you just sit tight, we’re gonna get everyone out of here alive. See if you can make it to your car. Tell him- tell him to pull back. We’ll run for it, get the hell out of here.”</p><p>Rick runs out his cover to get a better shooting position. Glenn comes back to the group after taking a moment to wrap his leg.</p><p>“Rick wants you to try for the car,” Shane says to Glenn.</p><p>“Try?” </p><p>“You’ll do it, you’ve done harder things than this,” Shane says to Glenn to give him some encouragement</p><p>“That’s- that’s actually a great plan,” Glenn says to Shane nodding.</p><p>Glenn runs and almost makes it before he’s shot more directly in the leg this time</p><p>“What happened?” Rick says running back to where Shane and Hershel were.</p><p>“Bastard fired and must’ve hit Glenn. He’s behind the dumpster. Doesn’t look like he’s moving.</p><p>“Either of you hit?”</p><p>Shane shakes his head, Hershel shakes him as well. Rick makes his way to the dumpster now that they were unfocused the other two followings.</p><p>“I’m good,” Glenn says, “Just another knick, Harry’s going to have a field day on my ass when we get back. Shot twice in one day.”</p><p>“Let’s get to that car then,” Rick says smiling.</p><p>As Rick and Shane shoot at the men, walks started coming in, more and more of them. Having to not only shoot at the walkers but also the men. Finally, the men decided to get going.</p><p>“Let’s get out of here! Roamers all over the place! Hurry up! We gotta get out of here!” One of them say.</p><p>“What about Sean?” The other asks.</p><p>“They shot him. We gotta go. Roamers are everywhere.”</p><p>“We’re leaving!” The first one yells.</p><p>“Jump!”</p><p>“Hurry up, Jump already.”</p><p>The last one on the roof goes to jump but falls instead missing his target.</p><p>“Dude didn’t make it,” Glenn says, watching their car rush out of the place anyways.</p><p>“Help me! Help- help me!” The man yells. Continuing to shout for someone to help him, Rick looks over at the other three. </p><p>“Get to the Car,” Rick says and runs helping the man up.</p><p>Shane tries to stop him but can’t, just deciding to follow what Rick says this time. Even if he didn’t want to save the man. Someone who was shooting at them seconds ago and could very well end up killing their people.</p><p>Rick helps the boy get into the car. The others in it, Shane and Glenn shooting down walkers that got too close. The second all the doors were closed they peeled out of there. Shane turned around in the car.</p><p>“Rick what the hell were you thinking!” Shane yells.</p><p>“He’s just a kid!” </p><p>“A kid who was shooting at us, I’m not having that around Harry. That was no your choice to make.”</p><p>“I couldn’t just leave him there, and he can barely walk; he won’t be hurting anyone, Shane. Look at his leg, it’s all types of messed up.”</p><p>Shane clenched his jaw, “I don’t like this, we shouldn’t have picked him up.”</p><p>“Yeah well we did,” Rick says, “At least let us give him a shot at living, let him heal a bit then we can send him on his merry way.”</p><p>“We’ll see,” Shane hits the console, trying to calm himself down, “Someone cover his fucking eyes. We don’t need him knowing which ways to go if he ends up going back to those bastards.”</p><p>Rick agrees to that and rips off part of the shirt tying the makeshift blindfold to the boy's head. </p><p>“You know who won’t like this more than me?” Shane says to Rick, “Andrea. Ever since Amy almost died she’s been on something else, especially during the barn shit.” Hershel nodded along, Glenn as well.</p><p>“She’ll just have to get over it.”</p><p> </p><p>I heard the car pulling in and immediately got up from his bed heading out, Lori following along.</p><p>“Shane!” I yelled, crying from the sight of him, running into his arms and kissing him passionately. By the time we separated I had stopped crying finally.</p><p>“I was so scared I wouldn’t come back to you,” Shane says hugging me close to him. </p><p>“Who is that?” Andrea asks Rick, I pull away seeing a boy who was blindfolded.</p><p>“This is Randall, his group was shooting at us, then they bolted when the walkers started coming out of everywhere. I couldn't just leave him behind.”</p><p>“He was shooting at you, so you brought him back to our camp?” I say looking at Rick like he was crazy.</p><p>“Harry, I couldn’t leave him there, and he didn’t see how we got here anyway. So when he’s good enough to go and leave we’ll just dump him somewhere with a few supplies.”</p><p>I look over to Lori, and then back at Rick, “He sleeps in the barn, away from us and tied up,” I say and turn around holding Shane’s hand so he’d follow, “And Rick,” I turn back around for a second, “If this risks any of the kids, or my unborn child you won’t like me.”</p><p>I rush off then making my way into the tent straight to my and Shane’s room. Pushing him down on the bed.</p><p> </p><p>(WARNING AGAIN BUT SEX THIS TIME VERY MUCH LESS SAD FEEL THE EMOTIONAL WHIPLASH)</p><p> </p><p>“You were so hot out there baby,” Shane grins.</p><p>“I’m always hot,” I say smirking, “But I’m more pissed off right now, and I’d really like you to change that.”</p><p>“And how’d you like me to do that?” </p><p>“Rough, and fast, or I’m never going to sleep and I really need my beauty sleep, don’t you think?” I say tearing off my clothes.</p><p>“No objections here,” Shane says.</p><p>“Then you should really get to work, shouldn’t you daddy,” I say, Shane took that as seriously as I said it, flipping me over in a second flat. </p><p>Throwing off his one shirt, unbuckling his belt before dropping his pants and boxers. I lick my lips eye’s over his body. Slipping down in front of him I take his cock into my hand and give it a good long lick, unable to keep myself from doing it.</p><p>Shane runs a hand down through my hair, tugging on it gently, “Back on the bed baby, you can do that another time. This is about wearing you out not me,” He says, making me get up.</p><p>“Remember I’ll stop if you need me to, but until that time I’m giving exactly what you asked for,” Shane whispers in my ear. Flipping me over, crawling onto the bed, and forcing me to get up on my hands and knees.</p><p>He prepares me slowly, working me to the edge then backing off. Making me look back and glare at him. Seconds later he was pushing into me. Making that expression glide off of my face, leaving me a moaning mess once again. </p><p>I gasp as he decides to slap my ass, taking a moment to decide if I like it or not he does it again, I moan this time and know how I feel about it then. </p><p>“Fuck, you’re so hot,” Shane groan as he rails into me.</p><p>I hold a pillow tightly under my head for some stability, going mad from the thoroughness of the fucking. Clenching down on him he pulls me down once more on his cock and cums inside me. Doing the thing that got me pregnant in the first place.</p><p>I’d be honestly surprised if we didn’t make twins at this point, I think absently as he tells me to clean us off. Waving my hand I do so and allow him to lay me properly in the bed. Having a hard time keeping my eyes open I give in and shut them listening to Shane lull me to sleep.</p><p>
  
</p><p>if you can't see the picture's warning they are NSFW: https://nuggetboiart.tumblr.com/post/646539378747916288</p><p>Heavily referenced but so much fun to draw.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're getting closer to the end of the second season! Hope you enjoyed, both reading and the art :) anyways please comment, all ideas, critics, etc is as always greatly appreciated! I'll be answering comments as well so check your inboxs :) I enjoy talking to everyone!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And that's it. Only took me several hours and lots of going back and forth between actual google doc and the tv episode but it's done. Hopefully, another chapter will be completed in the up and coming days! I appreciate all comments, critics, suggestions, compliments, etc.!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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